


Our Solemn Hour

by Rraz45



Series: Dark Fate [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Apocalypse, Dean torturing others, Gen, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester Needs a Hug, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:29:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 34,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28398492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rraz45/pseuds/Rraz45
Summary: To ensure that Heaven does not win the fate of the Apocalypse, one of the Winchester brothers makes a deal that is going to change everything for the brothers as well as the fate of the world. An A/U from season 5.
Series: Dark Fate [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2079870
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5





	1. Before My Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on fanfiction. This is my first Supernatural story, which I wrote during season 5. Set before Death was introduced. I wrote a sequel, and I finally started writing the third part now. Pairings will appear in later parts.

_There was complete silence all around him. Not a sound filled his ears besides his own steady breathing. Dean Winchester stood motionless. His eyes blinked every few seconds. The scene before the hunter’s vibrant emerald orbs left him utterly speechless. There was hardly anything left of the city he stood in. The flames had long since died out, but their destruction remained. Scorch marks stained the buildings and walk ways. Windows were shattered, and doors forcibly removed from their hinges. It was almost too much for Dean to bear witness to. He was the only soul left in the wake. He shut his eyes for a moment; his mind trying to erase the truth his eyes revealed. All of this had to be a dream; it just has to be._

_“What you see is real,” a voice whispered in Dean’s mind._

_Dean shook his head. This couldn’t be true. But the voice sounded familiar to him, like someone he knew but had forgotten. “I’m dreaming,” Dean whispered into the soft wind._

_There was a laugh heard in the hunter’s mind. “True, but it is real Winchester,” the voice responded._

_Slowly, Dean opened his eyes. If what this voice said is true, not that he was certain, but if it was then it could only mean one thing. “Damn Apocalypse,” he muttered. Was this only the beginning for Earth? Between Heaven and Hell, will there be anything left? “Why show me this?” the hunter angrily asked. Was Heaven messing with his head so he will finally say yes to Michael? Because if it was, those winged dicks had another thing coming._

_“Would you believe me if I told you who caused this damage? Even if it’s not who you think?” the familiar voice asked._

_Dean raised a suspicious eyebrow. The experienced hunter had a pretty good idea who caused this damage. “I don’t need you to remind me how destructive demons are,” he replied._

_The mysterious voice chuckled once more. “Oh how wrong you are Dean Winchester,” the voice spoke._

_Dean had an incredulous look on his handsome face. A part of him felt like laughing? Did this invisible presence take him for a fool? “Oh yeah, then who?” Dean asked._

_It was silent for a moment as the voice didn’t answer him right away. Dean was feeling a little frustrated. He was tired of playing this game. “Well,” he spoke to the wind._

_“Turn left at the street corner in front of you,” the voice ordered._

_Dean took a minute to think. Should he trust this strange voice? What if it led him into a trap? But curiosity got the better of the hunter and his paranoia. It was a dream after all. With a cautious step, Dean followed the voice’s directions._

_It took a few minutes for Dean to reach his destination. The voice led the hunter to the town center. What lay before Dean’s green eyes left him speechless and horror struck. There was no doubt the being in front of the hunter was the culprit of the carnage all around him. To weaken Dean’s resolve in front of the Winchester, it was not a demon in front of him. Oh no, Dean knew for certain the being was not a creature of Hell. It was an in fact an angel of the Lord. An angel that Dean recognized. Before him was Zachariah. The angel’s blade was stained with blood. The shirt his vessel wore was torn and also stained with the crimson liquid. A sadistic smile appeared on Zachariah’s lips. Littered around the powerful angel were lifeless bodies, cut and torn, and lying in a pool of their own blood. Dean’s mouth dropped. It was the angels who did this. Not demons, but angels. The thought sickened the eldest Winchester son._

_“What did I tell you,” the voice began._

_Dean looked away from the scene before him. He did not want to see anymore; he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle it. “What do you want?” Dean asked the presence. Slowly Dean felt his vision began to blur and fade. What was going on?_

_“For you to know the truth Dean,” the voice answered._

_Everything in Dean’s vision was going black, and he was feeling light headed and weak. “And what’s that?” Dean asked in somewhat of a sneer. His body was feeling weaker and weaker as the darkness spread across his vision._

_“That demons aren’t the only beings that lie,” the voice stated._

_Those words were the last thing Dean understood before everything faded out._

With a jolt, Dean sat up awake in his lumpy bed. The hunter was gasping for air. After getting his breathing under control, his green eyes darted around him while keeping his head straight. Dean found himself back in the cheap motel room he and his brother Sam had been staying at the last few nights. Sam slept soundly in the next bed to Dean’s right. Slowly, Dean lay back down in his bed. The dream he just had replaying over again in his mind. What did his dream mean? Was everything he saw true? Did Zachariah and the angels cause that devastation? But Dean had no idea where he was. He never knew the name of the town or where was its location. And who was that mysterious voice, and why did Dean have the urge to trust it?


	2. You and Me

Slowly Sam’s hazel eyes fluttered open. Stifling a yawn, he sat up in the hard bed and stretched. The scratchy bed sheets were tangled around the hunter’s fit waist. Sam wore his usual nightwear, a plain white undershirt and a comfortable pair of gray sweat pants. Though the younger Winchester brother had a peaceful night sleep, it was a sleep that carried no dreams. But lately that had been no surprise to Sam. With everything going on, he was quite surprised that he could actually sleep through the night. Some nights, he was plagued with nightmares. Nightmares of what would happen if they couldn’t stop the end of the world, a world so cold and nothing left to save anymore. The Apocalypse weighed heavy on all those that fought against it, especially on the Winchester brothers. Heaven and Hell wanted a piece of the duo. Honestly if the brothers did not have each other, both of them would have become the vessels they were foretold they were destined to become a long time ago.

The sound of a thud brought Sam out of his dismal thoughts. Turning his head to the left, he glanced at the bed beside him. From what Sam could see, Dean was not in his bed. In his place was Dean’s worn duffel bag. Widening the scope of his search by using his peripheral vision, Sam found his brother in front of the bed, packing his bag.

Feeling a pair of familiar eyes on him, Dean looked up and locked eyes with his brother. “Morning sunshine,” Dean greeted with a small smile on his lips.

Sam also returned the smile with a weak one of his own. Lately neither both of the brothers had the energy to be their relaxed and peaceful selves toward one another.

Sam’s eyes glanced at the digital alarm clock between the two beds. It read ‘6:45.’ His dark eyes then returned to his brother’s figure. It was obvious that Dean had already showered since he was dressed, it was a necessity of his morning ritual to shower each and every morning that was possible. The hunter even already had his boots on.

“You must have gotten up early,” Sam guessed.

Dean shrugged his shoulders as he finished putting the last of his belonging in his duffel bag. “Couldn’t sleep,” he stated.

Sam nodded and got out of bed. Though he lost his psychic abilities, he could tell there was more than just a restless night sleep that was bothering his older brother. Maybe it was because he knew his older brother so well. After all, Dean has been there for Sam for his entire life. “Bad dream?” the younger Winchester asked. Sam watched his brother stiffen. It was only a mere moment before his stance relaxed with a roll of his shoulders. So that was it, a bad dream.

Dean turned back around to face his brother. His green eyes were well guarded, and Sam couldn’t read them. It was Dean’s greatest defense. “Quit worrying Samantha,” Dean responded with a wry smile, “People may think it’s that time of the month for you.”

Sam rolled his dark eyes and shook his head. Same old Dean. “Jerk,” Sam spoke.

A smirk danced on Dean’s soft lips. “Bitch,” he responded.

For both brothers, it felt good to have this same old playful fight. It felt like for a moment all the troubles and worries that plague the two men day in and day out. Unfortunately, the moment was short lived.

The clock stuck the hour. It was now seven o’clock in the morning. Normally, a classic rock station that Dean discovered would play as the alarm sounded off. But this time was different. The click of the alarm was heard, but that was all. No classic guitar riffs, intricate drum solos, or the sound of a voice singing. Only static could be barely heard. Both brothers glanced at the digital clock. Dean Winchester let out a string of curses. When setting the alarm last night, the eldest Winchester son spent ten minutes looking for a good classic rock station. For once it was a station that he actually liked. So the silence on the radio could only mean one thing to the Winchesters. The two brothers looked back up to one another. Sam felt like punching something. When was it going to end? It was making him crazy. Crazy like how he was when Jess died, feeling the need to hunt anything evil that crossed his path. Meanwhile, Dean was strangely silent. It was quite disturbing. He was stonic, but the rage was visible burning in his deep eyes. And it made Sam do a double take. This wasn’t the way Dean acted normally, and Sam was a little shaken by it.

“Damn Apocalypse,” Dean muttered. Suddenly he froze. He said those exact same words in his dream last night. A dream that was still haunting him. Could what he saw last night even be true? No, Dean wasn’t going to worry about it right now. Sammy was already worried about Dean, and Dean did not want to worry his little brother any further. They finally got their relationship back after they almost lost it and each other. And now Sam and Dean were certain not to lose each other ever again.

“Dude you need to get in the shower, you reek,” Dean spoke to lighten up the mood.

A smile appeared in Sam’s chiseled lips. “Whatever,” Sam spoke before heading to the bathroom.

“Good boy,” Dean joked at his brother’s retreating figure.

When the bathroom door closed and Dean heard the shower began to run, he sat down on the edge of his bed. He ran a hand through his short hair. Every time he closed his eyes, flashes of his dream would appear. He let out a sigh of frustration. Everything about that dream left him confused. Whether or not it was even real, who that damn voice was, where that deserted town is, and if Zachariah and other possible angels were the cause of that destruction. Maybe he was worrying too much. It could be nothing more than a bad dream. But Dean knew otherwise. He had a feeling in his gut or whatever that it wasn’t just a bad dream. A small smile appeared on Dean’s lips. Sammy was supposed to be the psychic one with the vision dreams. Dean honestly never thought any of this psychic crap was going to happen to him. He wasn’t anything special. Sammy, and maybe even his dad, was special, but not him, not Dean.

While Dean was lost in his thoughts, he never heard the shower water shut off. A moment later, Sam walked out of the bathroom clad only in a towel around his waist. Sam noticed his big brother sitting on the edge of the bed, a lost expression on his handsome face. Sam had seen that look on his brother’s face before. When Dean was resurrected, he had that look on his face then for a while. When Dean finally learned to deal with his experience in Hell, the look finally vanished. No, Dean couldn’t fall in that dark abyss again. Sam refused to let it happen again. He couldn’t watch his big brother break, not again.

“Are we still planning to head to Bobby’s?” Sam asked. He raided his duffel bag for some clean clothes. He had one pair of clean boxers, socks, and a clean shirt. But that was it. Sam knew Dean was in the same predicament.

Dean looked up as his younger brother grabbed his clean clothes. All conflicting thoughts vanished from his mind. “Yeah,” he answered.

Sam was still worried about his big brother, but decided not to say anything just yet. Sometimes pushing Dean to get him to talk about his emotions only made things worse and Dean would just shut down entirely. “Good,” Sam replied, “Need to do some laundry when we get there.”

Dean chuckled. He was in a serious need to do laundry.

About ten minutes later, the two brothers were driving out of the motel parking lot in the Impala. Dean put in his favorite Metallica cassette tape since he was driving.

“One day I’m going to update your music collection,” Sam commented as they sped away from the cheap motel.

Dean took his emerald eyes off the road to glare at his younger brother. “Do that and….” Dean began to threaten.

A sly smile appeared on Sam Winchester’s cute face. “You’ll what?” he asked, “Kill me?”

Dean’s face didn’t betray the mental flinch at Sam’s words. After all that has happened between them, Dean couldn’t joke like that with Sam right now. “Nah, I’ll just hurt you until you cry like the bitch you are,” he joked with a laugh.

Sam shook his head and ended up laughing as well. He swore Dean’s favorite word is bitch. “You could try,” Sam responded.

“HA!” Dean spoke before making a right turn, “I’m older and better so I could mop the floor with that rug on your head you call hair.”

Sam rolled his eyes. _‘Yeah right,’_ he thought.

* * *

The Winchester brothers had been driving for a few hours when Dean suddenly veered off the road they were on to another one. Sam sat up straight in his seat and studied his surroundings. After all this time, he memorized the route to Bobby’s. They should have stayed on the road they were on for another hour. So what was Dean thinking? Why did he veer off their route?

“Dean?” Sam called.

But Dean didn’t respond. His eyes were focused solely on the road. They turned into a small town that Sam didn’t recognize. They really haven’t done a job since Sam freed Lucifer from his cage. But Sam had a feeling that Dean recognized where they were. The Impala pulled up to the town’s movie theater. It was deserted, but Sam could see a look of horror on his brother’s face. “Dean what is it?” Sam asked.

Once again Dean did not answer his brother. Instead, he turned off the engine and got out of his baby. The hunter’s eyes darted around his surroundings. The emptiness of the place, the roads and buildings were all so familiar. It was just exactly like his dream. The familiarity was surreal.

Sam followed his brother with worry reflecting in his eyes. “DEAN!” he shouted.

Dean stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at his little brother. “Sammy,” he muttered in a soft, weak voice.

Sam moved closer to his big brother. “What is it Dean?’ he asked once more.

But Dean just couldn’t say it. How could he explain it to Sam? So he began to walk again. He took the same route the voice directed in his dream. Everything around the hunter was the same. It terrified Dean. “It just can’t be real,” Dean muttered.

Sam continued to follow his brother. What was it that scared his brother? It gave Sam a bad feeling.

Dean stopped in the same place as he did in his dream. He didn’t need to look around to know what he was going to see. So far everything had been the exact same. Quickly, he glanced around him. The blood, the scorch marks, and the emptiness were all there. Then Dean thought about the last part of his dream. He saw who had supposedly caused all this destruction. In his dream it was Zachariah. Will it be the same now? Will the culprit even still be here? There was only one way to find out.

“Dean please tell me what’s up?” Sam pleaded.

“Sam,” Dean began. He wanted to tell Sammy everything. But then what lay in front of the elder Winchester left him completely frozen.

“Dean,” Sam called in frustration. He was tired of his brother’s stubbornness. So he looked to where his brother was looking, and Sam froze as well.

“Hello Dean,” a familiar voice spoke, “and Sam.”


	3. Lies

Dean’s eyes were filled with shock for only a moment. Soon the anger was swimming in his vibrant orbs. He was honestly beginning to truly hate the person before him. It was indeed Zachariah. Dean took a minute to study the angel in front of him. It was almost exactly the same image as his dream depicted. The lifeless bodies around them were the same, cut up and left for dead. Even the things Dean recalled about the angel were the exact same. The shirt Zachariah wore was torn and bloodstained and his blade also had blood drying on the tip. For a brief moment, Dean thought he was going to be sick. Why was this happening to him? He was good at dealing with stuff like this.

Sam looked back and forth between his brother and the angel, Zachariah. Sam almost wanted to scream aloud in frustration. His brother was hiding something. And Sam knew that look in Dean’s eyes. That look meant that Dean was out for blood. Then Sam’s hazel eyes glanced back at the angel. There was this sick, sadistic smile on his lips, and arrogance flashing in his dark eyes. To Sam, it felt like he was on the outside of a secret between those two. Damn it! What was it about this strange town that had his big brother spooked?

Zachariah stared at the hunter in front of him. The grip on his angelic blade relaxed. He wasn’t planning on using it on either of the Winchesters, well not yet anyways. After all, Heaven had some special plans for Dean Winchester. Sam was more or less expendable in the angel’s eyes. Zachariah watched as his favorite Winchester darken the color of his eyes because of the rage burning inside the Winchester. He was quite interesting for a human. But the rage kept burning in Dean’s eyes. This got the angel curious. What was making the elder Winchester so angry? Zachariah was tempted to find out the answer.

“Zachariah,” Sam greeted.

The angel nodded his head in acknowledgement. Dean still remained silent for a moment. He wanted to lash out against the angel, but the elder Winchester he knew that wasn’t an option. He still needed to find a way to fight back against the feathered beings. It’s not like they could easily get their hands on an angel’s blade after all. No, something else had to be done.

“Did you do all of this?” Dean asked with anger masked in his deep voice.

All three men’s eyes darted around them. Sam’s eyes lingered on the bodies at the angel’s feet. He could feel a lump in his throat as his stomach turned at the sight. These people never even had a chance. Meanwhile, Dean and Zachariah’s eyes were locked in a staring contest. Dean’s eyes were narrowed slits of anger while the angel’s eyes were clouded with self-pride.

“What do you think Dean?” Zachariah responded in somewhat of an amused tone. To the angel, this was just a game.

Dean inhaled and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He blinked, his eyes well-guarded, and tilted his head while keeping his green eyes looked on the angel’s figure. “You tell me,” he responded in a flat tone. But Dean had a pretty good idea. The dream had been true thus far, why should now be any different?

“And if I say yes?” Zachariah responded, the corner of his lips twitching upwards.

Sam stared at the high-ranking angel with disbelief. Was Sam hearing right? No, this had to be a mistake. Sure the angels were heartless, but this was just wrong.

“Demons weren’t possessing these people,” Sam spoke, “were they?” He had studied the bodies. He had the sense that these people were just ordinary people. He never got the vibe of a demon presence, besides none of the signs were there.

The sadistic smile vanished from Zachariah’s lips. What were the Winchester brothers doing here anyways? It’s not like Zachariah’s whereabouts were known to the weaker angels whose loyalty could come into question. The brothers should not have known about this place or Zachariah being here. So what led the boys here?

“What do you think Sammy?” the angel responded.

“IT’S SAM!” Sam shouted.

The smile then returned to the angel’s lips. This may be easier than he thought.

“Tell me why,” Dean demanded an answer.

A dispassionate look appeared on Zachariah’s calm face. The hunter wanted a reason why; well he was going to get one. “How do you think demons are born?” the angel asked in a raised voice.

A confused expression appeared on Sam’s weary face. Besides his own experience, he truthfully did not know how demons are created. But Dean knew. He tried to keep an indifferent look on his face. It was the reason he feared Hell when the clock was ticking on his contract.

Zachariah studied his favorite human for a moment. The angel was certain the hunter knew the truth. “That’s right Dean, you remember,” the angel stated with a proud voice.

Dean swallowed. He could feel Sam’s eyes on him, which they were. Sam looked at his brother with curiosity. Why didn’t Dean ever tell him?

Zachariah glanced at the younger Winchester before focusing on the older brother. “But you never told your little brother,” the angel spoke before setting his eyes back on Sam, “Demons were once humans that were sentenced to Hell. But being in the pit burned their humanity away, leaving nothing of their former selves left. This they become demons.”

Sam did a double-take. He didn’t want to believe what he was hearing, but then a thought struck him. A memory flashed through his mind. He remembered Ruby’s story, and Sam knew it was the truth. Ruby had started out as a human that sold her soul for witchcraft. Then the guilt settled in. If Castiel never pulled Dean out of Hell, his big brother would have eventually turned into the very thing he hated most. The thought sickened Sam. He knew he would have been the one to blame if Dean did become a demon. Sam was the reason Dean was sent to Hell in the first place. No, Sam couldn’t think like this. Dean was here now, and free of Hell.

“So why kill all these people?” Sam had to ask.

Dean already knew the answer. He remembered the last thing the mysterious voice said to him in the dream. Demons weren’t the only beings that lie. And in that moment, the elder Winchester knew the message was about angels, and that Zachariah was about to lie to him and Sam. And Dean needed to make sure Sammy knew the truth.

“We are at war, and Hell is searching for more recruits,” the angel explained.

So it was okay to murder souls that Hell had a claim over. It just didn’t feel right. “You’re lying,” Dean stated in a dangerous tone.

All eyes were on the elder Winchester. Both Zachariah and Sam were not expecting Dean to say that. It was like Dean could feel the truth in his bones.

“If only you will say yes to Michael Dean,” Zachariah stated, “all of this bloodshed will finally end.”

Things would just be so much easier if Dean will just say yes to the most powerful archangel. But then what will become of humanity if did agree to become the vessel of Michael? Humanity will cease is what will happen. And Dean couldn’t live with himself if that did happen. Suddenly, Dean felt this burning rage. Zachariah just wiped out a town for the hell of it, no reason, no justifiable cause, nothing.

“So what, just kill some people for the fun of it in your off time?” Dean retorted bitterly.

Sam could feel the anger radiating off his brother. That bad feeling Sam had just got much worse.

A small smile appeared on Zachariah’s lips. He didn’t need to respond to the hunter’s little smart ass remark.

“Well then screw you!” Dean yelled. He was sick and tired of being lied to and used like some chess piece.

Sam’s eyes widened. He was expecting his big brother to lose it.

“There is no way I’m going to help you guys,” Dean finished in a low and deadly tone.

Zachariah’s eyes narrowed in anger. He underestimated Dean Winchester’s defiant nature. A mistake he would not make again. “I still say you dirty, filthy creatures are all the same,” Zachariah responded with disgust.

Sam raised an eyebrow at the angel’s words. He really wished the demon killing blade worked on angels as well.

“I don’t know about you Sammy, but I showered this morning,” Dean joked in defiance.

Zachariah rolled his eyes. This wasn’t his first time he had to deal with the hunter’s infamous smart mouth. “Consider yourself lucky that you had our protection,” the angel threatened, “but what are you going to do when you are left all alone?”

Dean felt himself being consumed by this rage that had been growing. He was done with all of this. “I will find a way to kill you,” Dean warned in a low voice.

The sadistic smile returned to the angel’s lips. “We’ll see about that,” the angel responded.

Sam inched closer to his brother. He had a feeling something was about to go down.

Zachariah stood straight and tall. “Until next time,” he spoke before vanishing in a flash of light.

Dean paced back and forth in the narrow street. His fists were so tightly clenched, his knuckles were turning white. All the anger inside him was ready to boil to the surface.

Sam continued to stare at his brother. He was ready for some answers. “Dean,” he called.

Dean stopped pacing, but did not turn around to face his brother. It was a start though.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Sam asked in a sighful manner.

Dean took a deep breath to calm himself. He wasn’t going to take all this anger out on his little brother; Sammy didn’t deserve it. “I saw this in a dream,” Dean began to explain.

Sam’s eyes widened at his brother’s words. He never thought that Dean was psychic, or ever capable of psychic abilities. “Like visions?” Sam asked.

Dean shook his head. He didn’t even know. But what difference does it make? “No,” he finally responded after thinking hard about it.

Sam just continued to stare at his brother. He had a feeling that there was more that Dean needed to reveal to him. “Well tell me about the dream,” Sam suggested.

Dean took a deep breath before turning around to face his brother. “I was in this town and I was lead here to Zachariah,” Dean explained shortly.

Sam finally looked away from his brother for a moment. To get Dean to open was like pulling teeth. Why couldn’t he just say everything? “What led you to him?” he asked.

The elder Winchester really didn’t feel like telling Sammy about the strange voice. Dean had a feeling that his younger brother would over react.

“Dean will you just tell me,” Sam pleaded in an exasperated voice.

Dean studied his little brother. With a sigh of defeat, he decided to be honest with his brother. “It was a voice,” Dean began to explain.

Well it was a start. Sam knew he had to keep pushing his brother for answers. “Well did you recognize the voice?” he asked.

Dean shook his head before finishing, “No, and it also told me that demons aren’t the only ones that lie.” He waited for the expected outburst from Sam, but it never came. Truthfully, Sam really did want to yell and scream at Dean, but he knew it wouldn’t change anything. And Sam was tired.

“We will find some answers,” Sam spoke with reassurance for both himself and Dean.

The frustration returned to the elder Winchester. He shook his hands high in the air and began to pace once more. He wanted the answers now. “I don’t know Sammy,” Dean muttered.

Sam took a minute to think. Besides Bobby Singer, who could help them find the answers they seek? The answer came faster to the younger hunter than the blink of an eye. Why didn’t he think of it before? “Maybe we should call Castiel?” Sam suggested.

Dean shook his head. Castiel had been struggling on which side he is on lately. But Dean has never really asked Castiel to choose where his allegiances lie. And if anyone would know something, it could be Castiel. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Cas!” Dean hollered as loud as he could, “CASTIEL!”

Sam and Dean waited in silence for a moment. Hopefully the angel would answer the call. A moment later, there was a flash of a bright light. Castiel appeared behind the Winchesters. But the brothers didn’t notice the angel’s presence.

“You called Dean,” Castiel stated after a breath.

Both Sam and Dean abruptly turned around on their heels. Relief seemed to wash over them at the sight of the familiar angel and ally. “Cas,” the brothers greeted.

Castiel was wearing his usual attire, a suit and a tan trench coat. “Why did you call me?” he asked in his usual flat tone. Cas took a minute to study the Winchesters, The brothers looked weary and worn. But then again, war and more importantly the Apocalypse had that effect on people.

Sam turned to Dean, wondering between the two of them who was going to break the ice. But Dean’s eyes were glued ahead of him. And Sam was guessing that Dean’s silence wasn’t going to change in the next few minutes.

With a sigh, Sam began to explain, “Last night Dean had this weird dream. This weird voice showed him all that you see and said that demons weren’t the only ones that lied. Well when we got here, Dean recognized the place and we ran into Zachariah. Turns out he was the one who caused all of this, and I’m guessing Dean saw him in the dream too.”

Castiel stared wide eyed at the younger Winchester. The younger hunter’s words slowly being processed in the angel’s ears and mind. Then Castiel’s ocean orbs darted all around him. All he could see was death and destruction. It was very unsettling. The angel did not wish to believe the truth. It was much easier to place blame on demons, they are demons after all. His brother could not be capable off such monstrosities. “No,” Cas muttered.

The eyes of both Winchester brothers focused on the dark-haired angel. Both of them could understand the pain and denial Castiel felt, but the angel needed to accept the truth.

A stern and serious look appeared on Dean Winchester’s face. “Cas, it’s the truth,” he spoke in a voice that left no room for argument.

But Castiel still refused to believe it. He searched the hunter’s emerald orbs got any sign of deceit, but found none. “No,” Cas responded, “no angel would commit bloodshed like this without a justifiable cause.”

Dean bit back the rage he felt. Didn’t Cas remember that Lucifer started out as an angel? “Well believe it,” the elder Winchester bit back. Now all eyes were on the more experienced hunter. Dean spread his arms out while his eyes narrowed. “Look around you Castiel. Zachariah did this for the hell of it! Because he hates humanity as much as demons,” he yelled.

Castiel’s eyes narrowed. He remembered his superior’s voiced opinion about humans. It wasn’t a secret, and Castiel could deny the truth no longer. He knew the truth about Zachariah, but Cas didn’t like where Dean was going with this. “What do you expect me to do?” he asked.

With a soldier’s precision, Dean dropped his arms back to his sides. He strode closer to the angel he owed a hell of a lot to. “You need to decide what side you are on,” Dean stated simply, “either you are with us or you are with Zachariah, Michael, and the other angels.”

Both Castiel and Sam’s eyes widened at Dean’s bluntness. Sammy was quite proud of his big brother in this moment (not like he has never been proud of Dean before). It was about damn time in Sam’s opinion. But Castiel did not feel the same way. How could he choose so basically and bluntly like that? He was an angel, and how could he betray his family and all the years of obedient servitude like the snap of a finger. But he believed the brothers’ side was the true side. Humanity did deserve a chance. There were just too many conflicting thoughts bouncing back and forth in the angel’s mind.

“I can’t,” Cas muttered.

Dean’s face fell at the angel’s words. Did this mean that he just lost Cas? The thought saddened the hunter. Though he would never admit it, Cas was growing on him, and Dean did consider the angel more than an ally, he considered him a friend. “Cas,” Dean began.

But before Dean could continue, Castiel vanished in the blink of an eye leaving the two brothers alone.

It was silent for a few minutes. Sam glanced at his brother then back to the ground every few breaths. Dean just stared at where Castiel once stood. He couldn’t believe what just happened. Suddenly with an angered growl, Dean kicked the brick wall in front of him. This was just great! Dean wasn’t sure if he could take much more of this. Sam said nothing for a moment. He didn’t know what to say. Normally in moments like these, Sam would seek his big brother for help.

“Dean,” Sam called in a small voice.

Dean rubbed his eyes while taking a deep breath. He turned to face his brother, the anger gone from his handsome face. “Yeah Sammy?” he responded.

Sam moved closer to his big brother. “What are we going to do?” he asked. 

Dean shook his head while he thought about it. They were at war. Hell was already their enemy, and now Heaven seemed like their enemy to. “We keep fighting Sammy,” he stated.

The two brothers began to head back to the Impala. Sam still needed to hear more. “So what, are we going to take on Heaven and Hell?” he asked incredulously.

When they reached the Impala, Dean stopped and leaned against the car. Was this right? Dean didn’t need to ask, he already knew the answer. “If we have to,” Dean answered before getting in the car.

Sam followed suite. They had a lot to think about during the ride to Bobby’s house. And they both needed the silence.


	4. Tell Me Why

Dean and Sam drove all night long and finally reached Bobby Singer’s home in the early hours of the morning. It was just after six and the brothers hoped that Bobby would be awake. The elder hunter was always up bright and early on a hunt, but the same couldn’t be said during his off time. Dean parked the Impala in the usual spot when they stopped by. Sam and Dean had not said one word to each other in hours. Every now and then, the brothers would glance at one another when the other wasn’t paying any attention. Both were really exhausted mentally and physically. They grabbed their bags from the trunk and headed up the wooden steps of Bobby’s front porch. With a sideways glance, Dean glanced at his baby brother before knocking on the door and calling Bobby’s name.

A minute later, Bobby was at his front door with a sawed-off shot gun in his hands.

“Hey Bobby,” Sam greeted in a weary voice.

Bobby Singer studied the brothers on the other side of the door. The older man could tell something was up. “What the hell are you two idjits doing, knocking on my door at six in the morning?” he demanded an answer.

Dean shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner, and a small smile appearing on his lips. “Wanted to make sure up Bobby,” he replied in a joking manner.

Sam shook his head at his brother’s words while Bobby rolled his eyes. Dean Winchester was always a man full of surprises.

“So you gonna invite us in?” Dean asked with his usual cocky grin. B

obby turned around and headed away from the door to somewhere else in his house. “Still don’t know why you don’t just let yourselves in like ya always do,” he muttered.

The brothers silently chuckled at the older man’s rant before heading inside the house.

They followed Bobby into the living room and took a seat on the small, dusty couch. Bobby remained standing his arms crossed over his chest. No one said anything for a moment. Sam stared at the elder hunter while Bobby stared at both boys. Though Bobby may not be related by blood to the Winchesters, they were still family to each other. “So what’s going on?” Bobby finally asked.

Dean cleared his throat while Sam swallowed. The brothers felt like children being reprimanded by a parent under Bobby’s gaze.

Bobby waited for a moment for the Winchesters to answer him. But all he got was an awkward silence. “Well,” he ordered, “one of you better start explaining!”

Dean glanced at Sam before looking at the man who was the closest thing to a father Dean had. “What,” he responded, “can’t we just stop by and say hi?”

Sam shook his head. Like Bobby would ever believe that.

The elder hunter felt smacking the eldest Winchester boy upside the back of his head for his smart mouth. “Right,” Bobby replied, “and how long have I known you boys?”

Bobby had Dean there; the older Winchester brother couldn’t deny it. “Alright,” Dean caved in a serious voice.

Both brothers leaned forward in their seats. The eldest brother took a deep breath before clearing his throat. “I got this dream the other night that showed me the truth about the Apocalypse,” he stated.

Sam eyed his brother suspiciously. That was all he was going to say? “Dean,” Sam called his brother out on the half-truth.

But Dean ignored his little brother. Instead, he stood up and paced for a couple of steps. But he stopped moving, seemingly lost in a silent debate. Then he shook his head, muttering that he needed some sleep.

Sam and Bobby stared at Dean’s retreating figure until he was no longer in their sight. Then they turned to face one another with the same expression on their face. Both were worried about the elder Winchester. He hasn’t acted the same since he has been freed from the pit.

“Tell me what your brother hasn’t said,” Bobby spoke with both a worried and curious look on his aging face.

Sam took a deep breath. There are days which he wished he and his brother could go back to the way things were before Ruby, the demon blood, and Dean making that deal. But Sam knew he couldn’t go back, instead he could only move forward. He prayed that his relationship with Dean will grow strong once again.

“A voice lead Dean to this town in his dream where Zachariah killed all the people there,” Sam had begun to explain.

Bobby Singer’s mouth dropped at the younger hunter’s words. What the angel had done sounded something like a demon’s handy-work rather than an angel’s. He then looked at the younger Winchester’s face, and Bobby got the feeling there was more. “And,” Bobby uttered.

Sam clasped his hands together in his lap. He was still processing everything that happened last night. “Dean found the town from his dream and we ran into Zachariah there,” Sam continued, “Dean got him to admit that he killed everyone for sport.”

Bobby felt the urge to sit down. The angels were no better than the demons they were fighting. Now Bobby understood Dean’s earlier words. The idjit was going to take on Heaven in addition to Hell. “Damn!” Singer cursed. Couldn’t they catch a freaking break!

“There’s more Bobby,” Sam interrupted the elder hunter’s silent tirade. Bobby looked back at Sam with dread in his eyes. What else could have happened?

"After Zachariah left, we called Castiel. Dean forced Cas to choose what side he was on,” Sam finished recalling the events, “Only Cas couldn’t do it and vanished.”

Bobby took a seat down on the chair across from the couch Sam currently sat on. “Jesus,” Singer muttered underneath his breath.

Sam nodded his head; he knew the feeling. Castiel was one of their most powerful allies and a friend. It was saddening that they might have lost him.

Sam’s thoughts returned to his big brother. Everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours has left Sam completely worried. Dean was starting to keep secrets again, and Sam felt like wallowing in self-misery. He thought this was all behind them. “I’m worried about Dean,” he spoke barely above a whisper.

Bobby looked up and his dismal thoughts vanished. He was worried about the eldest Winchester son too, more so than normal. Bobby couldn’t explain it, but he just had this terrible feeling in his gut. “I swear it should be a full time job worrying about the two of you,” Singer half joked.

The older man’s words brought a small smile to Sam’s face. Suddenly he yawned, and remembered how tired he was when he got here. He stood up with Bobby mimicking his actions. “I think I’m going to follow Dean and get some sleep for a little bit,” Sam thought out loud.

Bobby nodded his head. The two began to walk out of the living room. Sam headed for the stairs while Booby headed for his study. “Sam,” the elder man called.

Sam stopped his movements and looked down the railing at the man he considered family. “Yeah Bobby,” Sam answered.

Bobby Singer took a deep breath. Like the Winchesters, he did not like to talk about his feelings. “Keep an eye out on your brother,” he requested.

Sam nodded his head. He didn’t even need to be asked that. Of course he was going to look after Dean. He was Sam’s big brother, and they had to look out for each other. After all, Sam and Dean only really did have each other. “I will,” Sam responded before climbing up the stairs.

When Sam walked into the room he and Dean usually shared when they stayed at Bobby’s, he found his brother already asleep in the bed Dean declared his. Sam shook his head at the sight of his sleeping brother, but a small smile appeared on his lips. Dean really did look peaceful when he slept. But Sam knew that hand underneath the pillow was gripping Dean’s favorite knife. Sam kicked off his boots and climbed into his bed. Taking a quick glance at his brother, Sam relaxed. He always felt safe when Dean was around. Soon Sam let the exhaustion take over and sleep came to him in a few minutes.

A few hours later, both Sam and Dean had awakened form their slumber. Dean had woken up first and headed straight for his baby, giving the Impala a much needed tune-up. Sam woke up not long after his brother, but he started his laundry. Once Dean had finished all the work needed to be done for the car, he headed back inside. He found Bobby and Sam in the kitchen having a cold beer. Without a word, Dean headed for the fridge and grabbed himself a beer as well. He ignored the two pairs of eyes watching him and sat down at the small kitchen table. Bobby and Sam glanced at one another as Dean took his fist sip of the addicting liquid Dean craved. The younger Winchester cleared his throat before returning his gaze back to his older brother.

“Do you always have to fix the car up every time we come here?” Sam asked to remove the tension from the room.

Dean shrugged his shoulders and placed his beer back on to the table. “I don’t know. Do you always have to nag like a woman?” he responded with his usual arrogant smirk.

Sam glared at his brother. He hated it when Dean called him a woman. Bobby chuckled. In some ways, the Winchester boys will never grow up.

“Dean,” came a familiar, urgent voice.

All three hunters turned to the doorway and noticed Castiel standing there. Bobby, Sam, and Dean immediately jumped to their feet.

“Cas?” Dean asked, “What are you doing here?”

Castiel moved closer to the hunters, an unreadable expression on his face. Silently, he sat down at the table that was abandoned because of his arrival.

Dean, Sam, and Bobby all shared a glance before returning to their seats. “Cas…” Dean began again.

Cas wouldn’t look at any of the hunters in the eyes. His ocean depths were locked on his hands which rested on top of the table. “You were right,” the angel muttered.

Bobby glanced at Sam who was looking at Dean, who eyes were glued to the angel.

After a long moment, Cas finally looked up to the hunter’s green eyes. “I made my choice,” he stated.

Dean’s eyes visibly widened along with Sam and Bobby’s. The curiosity was high in the three hunters’ veins, and the suspense was killing them. What did Cas decide? “And?” Dean spoke in a gruff voice.

Castiel took a deep breath. He knew once when he spoke these upcoming words, there was no going back. “I choose to be on your side Dean Winchester,” the angel stated in a serious voice, ‘I wish to aid you in the ending of the Apocalypse by fighting Hell and Heaven if necessary.”

It was completely and utterly silent as the news sank in of Castiel’s choice. For a moment, none of the hunters could believe it. The last time the Winchesters saw Cas, he couldn’t decide where his allegiances fully lied. What happened in the last twenty-four hours that changed all of it? After all, Castiel did just turn his back on everything he depended on. It wasn’t a decision to make lightly.

“Cas,” Sam called.

Castiel looked away from Dean and focused his gaze on the younger Winchester.

Sam was worried about the angel. “You alright?” he asked.

Rather than answer the younger hunter, Castiel looked away. He really hoped he was doing the right thing.

Dean kept a steady gaze on the angel. He knew his friend was not alright. “What made you decide?” he asked.

The angel’s blue orbs returned to the older Winchester’s green eyes. Cas knew Dean was not going to like what he was about to hear. “I finally learned the truth,” Castiel began, “Zachariah and Michael have been working together all along.”

Bobby stared at the angel who has helped him and the boys out a lot. He had a real bad feeling where Cas was going with his explanation.

“It’s not surprising,” Dean muttered underneath his breath.

Castiel ignored the older Winchester and continued, “You were right about their killing of humans. It’s the start of Heaven on Earth.”

Sam knew this is where it was going to take a turn for the worse. It was clearly visible on Castiel’s pained face, the betrayal too powerful to conceal. “But…” Sam uttered.

Cas cleared his throat. “They have been killing off angels who oppose them as well,” he finished.

Sam and Bobby’s mouth dropped while Dean kept a blank look on his face. He was really hating those damn angels right now.

“Did they go after you?” Sam asked in a low, hushed voice.

Castiel’s gaze fell back down to his hands. “No,” he answered, “One of my sisters told me the truth before she was hunted down.”

Dean abruptly stood up from his chair. He paced two steps before he stopped. Without warning, Dean slammed his foot into the chair in a hard kick. Sam couldn’t help but flinch, but not at his brother’s actions but rather his brother’s anger.

“Damn it!” the eldest Winchester son yelled.

“Dean,” Castiel called in a calming voice.

Dean took a deep breath and sat back down in his seat. He didn’t have to look up to know that Bobby and Sam’s worried glances were locked on to him. So instead, the older Winchester focused his attentions back on the angel who sat across from him. And the look on the angel’s face made Dean’s face drop. He never seen Cas look so broken before. “Cas,” Dean whispered.

Cas masked his broken expression well. He wasn’t finished speaking. “There’s more,” he stated.

The three hunters paused. What else was next?

Sam swallowed. Well this day was turning out to be just as crappy as yesterday, maybe even more so. “What is it?” the youngest hunter there asked.

Castiel’s eyes glanced upwards for a moment before returning to the hunters’ faces. “Michael is on Earth,” he stated in a flat, monotone.

All three hunters’ mouths dropped. How is that even possible? “How?” Bobby questioned.

Unconsciously, Sam glanced at his big brother. Dean was still Dean. “I thought Dean is supposed to be his vessel,” Sam thought aloud.

Cas nodded his head in agreement with Sam’s words.

Dean was once again strangely silent. He needed a minute to take all of this in.

“Dean is Michael’s true vessel. But due to Dean’s refusal, he took a temporary vessel like Lucifer,” the angel explained.

That’s right, Dean wasn’t the only vessel to lead the Apocalypse. Sam is the true vessel for the devil, Lucifer. And if either Winchester says yes to becoming the vessels they were meant to, bye-bye Earth and humanity.

“Do you know who Michael is using as a vessel?” Sam asked.

Cas shook his head. “All I know is the body is someone close to you,” he answered.

Dean rubbed his face. So now both Lucifer and Michael were here on Earth, well this is just great. “Do you know where he is?” Dean asked.

Cas seemed to think for a minute. “The last I heard, he was heading to River Falls,” he answered.

Bobby and Sam’s face lit up in recognition. Dean noticed this and eyed the two of them strangely. “What?” Dean asked.

Bobby and Sam glanced at one another before looking back at the older Winchester. “Before you came in, I just got done telling Sam about a call from Ellen,” Bobby stated.

“And...” Dean urged the older man to continue.

“She told me there had been a lot of activity there. Some say it’s a demon fort,” Singer explained.

“Michael could be heading there to find Lucifer and take out the demons,” Cas added.

“And anyone who gets in the way,” Dean muttered bitterly.

Sam stood up from the table. All eyes were on the youngest man there. “It’s a few hour drive from here. We should get there before Michael does,” he suggested.

Dean nodded his head and stood up as well. Castiel and Bobby followed suit, but Dean raised his hand in a stopping manner and the two stopped dead in their tracks.

“You two should stay here,” Sam spoke, “We don’t know what’s going to be out there.”

Dean was in agreement with his brother. It was the best thing. Both Bobby and Castiel did not agree with the Winchester brothers. It is exactly why they should go with them.

“Which is why you need all the extra help,” Bobby responded.

Sam took a deep breath. Both he and his brother should have known Bobby would have reacted like this.

“Besides we might need you two to come rescue us if things don’t go according to plan,” Dean joked.

No one laughed at Dean’s words. But Cas and Bobby didn’t put up any more fight. This was the boys’ fight, something the Winchesters had to do alone.

“You boys be careful now,” Bobby ordered.

Both Winchester brothers nodded their heads before heading to the Impala and driving off.

* * *

It took a little over three hours for the Winchester brothers to arrive in River Falls. It was a small town and very quiet. Dean drove the Impala through the empty streets. This was just like the last town, only there was no destruction visible yet. Sam and Dean both had a really bad feeling in their guts. Dean continued to follow the road he was on as it led him through the town. It was late in the afternoon, almost early evening. Not a soul could be seen. There had to be someone here, whether they were normal people, demons, or angels. The brothers drove through the center of the town and into the outskirts. It was there Sam and Dean found themselves no longer alone. But the sight only made the brothers angry.

Zachariah and another man, who the brothers couldn’t see, were standing over another male who was on his knees. Dean and Sam shared a quick look before getting out of the car and racing over to the trio. Zachariah noticed the Winchesters’ presences immediately. When the brothers reached the powerful angel, they noticed the blade in his hands. The hunters stopped a couple feet away in a panicked alert.

“What the hell are you doing Zachariah?” Dean demanded an answer.

The person who stood next to Zachariah took a step forward, and Dean and Sam were able to see who exactly this person was. “Dean Winchester, it’s nice to finally meet you. I have been watching over you for quite some time, but it’s nice to finally meet you in the flesh,” the person stated.

It was the archangel Michal, Dean was sure of it. The person the most powerful archangel was using as a vessel was none other than the Winchesters’ dead half-brother, Adam Milligan. How was that even possible?

“Adam?” Sam questioned out loud.

A small but twisted smile appeared on Adam’s lips as Michael, through Adam, turned his gaze to the younger Winchester. “Sam Winchester, it’s a pleasure,” Michael stated.

The rage slowly built in Dean Winchester. “That’s not Adam Sam,” Dean stated.

Sam’s eyes widened. Understanding filled his smart mind. He remembered Castiel’s words and connected the dots. Michael’s gaze returned on the man that is his vessel.

“That’s correct Dean. Since I haven’t gotten my permission from you, I found Adam here to be my temporary vessel,” he explained.

Sam and Dean’s gazes fell upon the man who still was on his knees. What did Michael want with this guy? The person did seem sort of familiar to the brothers. “Let the man go,” Dean ordered in a dangerous voice.

Zachariah glanced at the angel beside him with a raised eyebrow. “And who are you to give us orders?” Zachariah spoke with a laugh.

But Dean ignored him. He and Michael’s eyes were locked in a silent battle.

“Who is he?” Sam asked.

Zachariah lowered his blade, but was still ready to strike in a heartbeat. “Don’t you recognize him?” the angel asked.

Slowly Sam shook his head no. The man looked like a sickly old man. One the brothers didn’t recognize.

“This here is Pestilence, one of the four Horsemen,” Michael explained.

Dean raised an eyebrow. Weren’t the Four Horsemen on Lucifer’s side? “So you are killing your brother’s lackeys to get his attention?” Dean spoke, “You might want to try a phone. I know it works between me and Sam.”

Michael’s expression hardened. Sam glanced back and forth between his brother and the archangel. Dean’s smart mouth always seemed to get him in a heap of trouble.

“No,” Michael replied, “Pestilence has refused to join us.”

Then Michael gave a slight nod to Zachariah. The grip on his blade tightened before Zachariah delivered an ending blow to the Horseman. The brothers’ mouths dropped as the body of the Horseman fell to the ground, dead. There was no reason for it.

“Why even want him on your side?” Sam demanded an answer.

Michael shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner. “With his help, our goal could have been reached faster,” he answered simply. So it was true then. Michael and his followers wanted the end of humanity as well.

“Fuck you!” Dean growled angrily.

The two angels glanced that the older hunter. Sam noticed the grip on Zachariah’s blade relax. What was up their sleeve now?

“Now that’s not very nice Dean,” Michael reprimanded.

Dean’s emerald orbs darkened in anger. “You know between you and your brother, I don’t know which one of the two of you is worse,” he stated in anger.

Michael crossed his arms, his expression turning from one of amusement into one of annoyance. “Really,” he responded.

Dean tilted his head, but his eyes remained on the archangel. “Yea,” he replied. “I’m thinking it’s you since Lucifer has been more upfront about everything.”

Sam bit his lip in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his brother just said that.

Zachariah and Michael’s eyes widened at the hunter’s words. They couldn’t believe the defiance that was Dean Winchester. Michael took a step closer to the human that irked him. “You can’t stop it Dean,” the archangel stated, “I will kill my brother and bring an end to suffering. You will join me or perish.”

Sam took a step closer to his brother. He knew Dean was going to make his final decision in his upcoming words.

Dean took a deep breath. He could feel the words that were ready to spill out, and knew he wasn’t going to regret them. “I would much rather be trapped back in the Pit than be your vessel so you can end all of humanity,” Dean gave his final answer.

It was dead silent as everyone let Dean’s words sink in. Sam feared for his brother. What was fate going to do to Dean now that he turned his back on Michael? Zachariah and Michael were outraged. How dare that stubborn human refuse what he was destined to become! In fact, Dean should feel honored that he was privileged to being Michael’s vessel.

“You are going to regret this,” Michael threatened.

“Bring it on,” Dean challenged.

Zachariah griped his blade tightly. Oh how badly he wishes to use his blade to end Dean Winchester! But until the war is over, and the angels won, Zachariah knew he couldn’t. But at the end of it all, the angel shall personally send the eldest Winchester son back to Hell.

“I would watch your back if I were you. My brethren will enjoy ending your existence,” Michael warned.

Sam looked at his brother. So the angels wanted them dead now too, crap.

“I’ll make to send them a one way ticket to Death,” Dean replied. No, Dean was not going to back down to Michael, Zachariah, and the other angels. If they wanted a fight, well then Dean Winchester was going to give them one.

Michael and Zachariah glanced at one another before vanishing in the blink of an eye. Once when the powerful angels were gone, the two brothers stood where they were in silence. Finally Sam shook himself out of his reverie. He couldn’t believe what just happened. He glanced at his big brother. Dean’s face was unreadable as always. Man, San really wanted to know what was going through his brother’s head right now. “Dean,” Sam uttered.

For a moment, Dean didn’t respond to his brother’s call. So many thoughts were swimming in Dean’s head right now. Everything that has happened in the last couple of days has taken a toll in him. Fate hasn’t been kind to the elder Winchester son, but somehow, Dean has always managed to bounce back, which is what he needed to do right now. After a moment, Dean turned his head to look at his younger brother. “Let’s go Sam,” he spoke. With those words spoken, Dean turned on his heels and headed back to his baby.

Shaking his head in frustration, Sam followed his brother and got back into the car. Silently, Dean started the car up and drove off. Sam continued to glance at his brother as they headed out the way they came. He didn’t like Dean’s silence. In fact, all Sam wanted was to lean on his big brother’s strength. Dean was always reassuring Sam that things were going to be alright. When Jess died, when Meg and Yellow Eyes kidnapped their dad, and even when Dean made his deal there was always that reassurance. And now Sam needed to hear it again, but this time Dean was being stoic. “Dean quit acting like me!” Sam reprimanded.

His words got a response from Dean. Dean blinked and glanced at Sam with a baffled expression on his face. The expression didn’t last long on his face before it was replaced with a mischievous smile. “Dude, I do not act like a chick,” he playfully responded.

Sam’s eyes narrowed, but he inwardly smiled at his brother’s usual playful banter. Sam needed to hear it.

“So we got both demons and angels gunning for us,” Sam thought aloud.

Dean turned a corner and got back on the highway that led to Bobby’s house. “Yea, and it sucks royally,” he replied.

Both brothers took a few minutes to think. Could things be any worse for the Winchester boys? How were they supposed to fight off an army of demons, and now an army of angels as well?

Sam was beginning to lose hope. “So we need to fight off the angels,” Sam began. _Maybe Castiel knew how to help them_ , Sam thought. It was better than nothing.

A sigh escaped Dean’s lips. He knew it was a futile cause. They could barely handle the demons that wanted them dead, but they had ways of fighting back. There was no way they could fight back against Michael and his forces. Truth was that there was just no way the Winchester brothers could win on their own. “I don’t know,” Dean muttered. 

Sam noticed the defeated look on his brother’s face. He knew Dean reached the same conclusion he had.

Dean slammed his hand on the steering wheel. They had to find a way; they couldn’t give up. Finally the answer came to Dean like a ton of bricks crashing down on him. Maybe there was still a way.

Sam noticed the change in his brother, and he didn’t like it. Something was up, and he didn’t like being left in the dark. “Dean would you please talk to me!” Sam begged in a desperate plea.

Dean took his green eyes off the road and glanced at his little brother with an unreadable expression on his face. He knew Sammy was not going to like what Dean was about to suggest. 

Sam didn’t like the look on his brother’s face. That bad feeling was starting to return.

“It’s time to make a deal Sam,” Dean stated.


	5. Dance with the Devil

“You can’t be serious!” Sam shouted.

Dean rolled his eyes and walked into Bobby Singer’s house with Sammy right on his heels. His baby brother was really pissing the elder hunter off right now. “Sam,” he growled in a warning tone. All Dean wanted was for his little brother to get off his back. Why couldn’t Sam just lay off for a moment?

“No Dean!” Sam continued to shout, “Are you insane?”

Castiel and Bobby heard the commotion from the kitchen. They shared a glance of wonder before standing up and walking to the door, curious for some answers.

Dean and Sam were standing in front of one another, a couple feet of distance between the two. Both were staring at one another with angry looks on their faces. Cas and Bobby looked at one another. What the hell happened? They didn’t expect the boys back from River Falls so soon. 

“Ok, someone better start explaining what the hell is the matter with the two of you!” Bobby demanded an answer.

Sam and Dean looked away from each other to look at the other two men in the room. The only thing readable on the Winchesters’ faces was anger. After a moment, the brothers returned to their silent battle. Dean remained stoic, but Sam bit his lip. What in the hell was Dean thinking?

“Will one of you please explain?” Cas requested. Sam shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Maybe Cas could knock some sense into older brother.

“Cas, you need to tell Dean… what a….” Sam couldn’t even form the words to describe how he felt about his brother at this moment.

Castiel stared at the younger Winchester with a quizzical expression on his face. In all the time he has known the younger Winchester, Castiel has never known Sam to act this way. “What is it exactly Dean has done?” the angel asked.

Dean felt even more infuriated than earlier. They were talking about him like he wasn’t in the freaking room!

“Should you tell them or should I?” Sam asked in a condescending tone and a raised eyebrow.

Dean’s eyes narrowed further. God, Sammy was really making him really crazy right now. It was even worse than when Sam first found out about the deal Dean made to bring back Sam. “Well you’re the one with the problem with it, not me,” the elder Winchester son replied crisply.

That’s it, Sam had enough of this. Without warning, Sam pulled his fist back and swung. His fist collided with Dean’s cheek forcing the older hunter to stumble. Bobby and Castiel’s eyes widened. Sam normally did not act this way. Dean grabbed his jaw and stood back up straight. A trickle of blood ran down the corner of his lips and a red mark was clearly visible on his cheek.

Sam took a heavy, deep breath to let his anger settle. He really shouldn’t have punched Dean, but his brother’s attitude was infallible. “Dean here wants to make a deal with Lucifer,” Sam stated in tone with suppressed anger.

Both Bobby and Castiel’s mouths dropped. _‘What?’_ they both thought. No, they couldn’t have heard the younger Winchester right. Because there is no way Dean would ever do something so stupid like that. But the look on Sam and Dean’s faced made Cas and Bobby pause in their train of thought. Dean look pissed like someone told his big secret, and Sam looked like he wanted to punch his big brother again.

“You can’t be serious,” Bobby muttered in disbelief.

Dean shook his head in frustration. Why couldn’t they understand, or see things from his perspective? Bobby Singer took the brothers’ silence as a yes. Both Castiel and Bobby focused their attention on the elder Winchester son.

“What in the hell were you thinking?” the eldest hunter there yelled. “No good can come of making a deal with Lucifer,” the angel added.

“Yeah, you remember the last deal you made and how that turned out!” Sam also put his two cents in.

Dean felt like rolling his eyes. What in the hell was he supposed to do? He couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. He needed to fight, but that was getting harder and harder to do. “We have to do something,” he angrily responded.

Everyone was taken aback by Dean’s sudden outburst of anger.

“But this is not the way,” Castiel responded.

The elder Winchester rubbed his temples. Clearly, he wasn’t getting through to the three men. “Then tell me of another way!” Dean yelled, “We are barely managing to take on the demon army. And now we have no way of fighting against Michael and his followers!”

Both Bobby and Cas wondered what happened at River Falls to cause this, but whatever it was, it obviously was not good.

Shaking his head, Dean stomped out of the house. He needed some air and space. Sam, Bobby, and Castiel stood motionless where they stood. Once again, the younger Winchester had the urge to punch something. Dean was being so damn stubborn! Why couldn’t he just open up about what was going on in his head. Sam sighed. He doubted his big brother would change. Castiel and Bobby turned to face the younger man. They needed some answers. And since Dean didn’t seem like he was in the sharing mood, which left Sam.

“So what happened in River Falls?” Bobby asked.

Sam looked up to face the other two men. He did owe them an explanation.

Sam had explained everything that happened in River Falls concerning Michael and Zachariah to Cas and Bobby. It was unbelievable to the two men. Both sides of the Apocalypse were bad. But Sam couldn’t understand why Dean was so unsure which side was worse. Sure the angels may be pretty twisted, but there were some good ones like Cas. There was no hope for demons. They were evil and manipulative. Ok, maybe since Ruby, Sam’s opinion of demons was a little more darker, but it was still true. Ruby was the perfect example. Sam finally learned his lesson, demons can’t be trusted. Not to mention Castiel seemed to be hurt by Sam’s recollection. The younger Winchester really felt for the angel. Sam felt so hurt and betrayed when he finally learned the truth about Ruby, and what Castiel is going through was much, much worse.

All the while, Dean remained outside. He was lying in the back seat of his baby. He always felt better being in his car. The Impala was the closest thing he had to a home. Which is kind of twisted, but the eldest Winchester son couldn’t care less. What was normal in his life anyways?

Twenty minutes later, Sam walked out of Bobby’s house and headed toward the Impala. The back door on the driver’s side was open, and half of Dean’s body was lying in the back seat with his knees bent at the open door and a beer in his hand. Sam rolled his eyes at the sight, typical Dean.

“So are you going to keep staring or are you going to say something?” Dean spoke without looking at his younger brother.

Sam knew Dean would have felt his presence, with all their training and all. The elder Winchester glanced at his brother briefly before sitting up. The look on Sam’s face suggested to Dean that he was going to be in for an earful.

Sam leaned against the Impala and crossed his arms. He did not know where to start. But Sam really needed to understand why Dean wanted to do this. “Just tell me why Dean,” the younger Winchester pleaded for an answer.

Dean took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure if he was going to answer his younger brother. The last time he tried, Sam wasn’t exactly listening with understanding ears. But maybe this time will be different. “We’d be fooling ourselves if we think we can take on Heaven and Hell,” Dean began.

Sam turned his head to look at his brother’s tired face. He was doing his best to understand. “Doesn’t mean we should make a deal Dean,” he responded.

The elder Winchester shook his head. “All this time we had Heaven protecting us,” he explained, “And there is no way we can win this war on our own.”

For a moment, Sam remained silent. He and Dean were not alone. “But we are not alone. We have Bobby, Cas, and other hunters,” they younger Winchester replied.

Dean eyed his brother for a minute before sliding in the seat, closer to Sammy. “It’s not the same Sam,” the older hunter spoke up.

Sam pushed himself off the car to fully face his brother. The anger was returning quickly to the younger hunter. “So then why Hell?” he demanded an answer.

Dean got out of the car. The feeling of earlier relaxation was gone. “I refuse to help those fake self-righteous winged bastards,” he angrily answered.

“And Lucifer and his demons are the good guys?” Sam replied sarcastically. The younger male felt the need to get his big brother to see the truth. After all, Dean had to do the exact same thing with Sam and Ruby.

Dean sighed. He was tired of this argument. Obviously Sammy wasn’t going to listen. “It will be easier to deal with Hell, that’s all,” he finished. After all, the Winchester brothers had taken care of their fair share of demons.

"So what are we going to offer Lucifer?” Sam asked after a long moment.

Dean stared wide-eyed at his brother. “Oh no, we are not offering him anything,” he stated, “I’m the one making the deal, not you.”

Sam stared at his brother with a blank expression. Dean was doing it again; the whole selfless, sacrificial protection for his little brother. When was Dean going to stop that? “Dean…” Sam began.

“NO!” Dean interrupted, “It’s my job to keep you safe.”

The younger Winchester bit his lip. All this talk, they had been through this before. And still, Sam ended up losing Dean. Well this time he wasn’t going to lose his big brother, not this time and never again.

Dean looked at his brother’s face. He hated that look in Sammy’s eyes. That look always made Dean feel like he couldn’t protect his little brother. “Sammy,” he called.

Sam looked into his big brother’s emerald orbs. Why couldn’t they catch a break for once?

The elder hunter put a supporting hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Everything is going to turn out alright, ok. I promise,” Dean reassured.

It was that same big brother tone that Sam always relied on, and always giving him hope. It made him believe in Dean’s words. “Okay Dean,” he caved.

A smile appeared on Dean’s lips. Even though he knew Sammy still didn’t like the idea, Dean was glad he has his little brother’s support.

* * *

That night, Sam and Dean drove the Impala to the woods away from Bobby Singer’s home. Castiel and Bobby were still not happy nor approved of the idea, but they knew they couldn’t stop the Winchesters. Stubbornness was a strong trait that ran deep in that family. Once a Winchester mind was made up, there was no changing it.

Dean pulled up on the side of the road and parked the car. Taking a deep breath, the brothers got out of the Impala at the same time.

Sam glanced at his older brother. “So we are really doing this?” Sam had to ask.

Dean looked up to his brother’s face. The elder brother was not going to back out of this, but he could see the reluctance in Sam’s hazel eyes. “Yeah Sam,” he answered.

The younger Winchester swallowed. He really hoped this wouldn’t come back and bite them. “Dean, this could destroy you. Who knows what is going to happen,” he ranted.

Dean resisted the urge to shake his head. He should have known this was coming. “We are fighting the Apocalypse, the end of the world. Some sacrifice is needed,” he replied.

Sam looked up and away from his brother with a shake of his head. He still couldn’t believe his brother. “But why does it have to be you?” he asked in a soft voice when his hazel eyes returned to his brother’s face.

Dean rubbed his chin. His brother was being very gloomy, even more so than normal. “Who says I’m going to die?” he responded.

Sam didn’t say anything. All he knew was that he couldn’t lose his brother again.

To lighten up the mood, Dean joked, “I think you have been listening to Emo music too much Sammy.”

Sam rolled his eyes. That was his brother alright. Rather than deal with an issue, Dean would turn it into some kind of joke. “Let’s just get this over with,” Sam responded.

Dean took a slow, deep breath. “Lucifer,” he prayed, “I have a proposition for you.”

Sam’s eyes darted all around him. Hopefully Lucifer would come.

The two brothers waited for a few minutes. Maybe Lucifer wouldn’t show up.

“Sam and Dean Winchester, well isn’t this a surprise,” Lucifer greeted.

The devil appeared a few feet away from the brothers on the other side of the road. Dean and Sam glanced at one another. Well there was no chance of backing out now. “Lucifer,” the brothers greeted back.

Lucifer walked toward the Winchesters until he was only a couple feet away from them. “What can I do for the two of you?” the devil asked with a sinister smile on his lips.

Dean cleared his throat. “Came to make a deal,” he answered.

The devil eyed the two Winchester boys for a moment. “This is a surprise,” Lucifer responded, “Have you decided to say yes Sam?”

Sam was not going to become Lucifer’s vessel. Even if he was going along with Dean’s insane plan, he was not going to say yes to the devil. “Sam is not going to say yes to you!” Dean spoke up.

The devil eyed the Winchester, he was listening. Sam took a deep breath. He couldn’t believe that his brother was about to do.

“So what is it you want Winchester?” Lucifer got down to business.

The elder Winchester took a step toward the infamous fallen archangel. “The deal is to join you,” Dean answered.

Lucifer’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second. He wasn’t expecting this. “So you want to join my ranks,” he spoke in an incredulous manner.

The words made Sam’s skin crawl. It reminded him of Yellow Eyes and the plans the demon had for the younger Winchester. 

Dean crossed his arms, his defenses were up. “I am,” he answered.

“Me too,” Sam added.

Dean turned to glare at his younger brother. What was Sammy thinking? They had a plan.

Lucifer tilted his head in the elder Winchester’s direction. “Now give me a reason why I should believe you,” the devil commanded an answer.

Dean took a deep breath. His face showed nothing but anger and determination. “Like the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” he stated.

The devil crossed his arms. No one knew what was going on in that sinister and twisted mind of the devil. “As hunters, demons are not your enemy?” he replied with sarcasm.

The brothers had to admit Lucifer did have a point there. “Fine, how about the lesser of two evils,” the elder Winchester thought out loud.

Sam felt like smacking his forehead. He hoped Dean realized that demons were the epitome of evil.

Lucifer let out a small chuckle. “So what do you want exactly?” the devil demanded answers.

Dean cleared his throat. Here is where he had to be really careful. “You get us to fight with you in exchange for protection,” the eldest Winchester son offered, “No harm comes to Sam.”

Sam couldn’t believe his brother! He was old enough to take care of himself. He didn’t need Dean always protecting him.

Lucifer seemed to think over the offer for a minute. “How will I know you won’t just back out when the moment suits you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Dean felt like smiling. He was expecting the devil to ask that. “Because I don’t want to see your brother take over Earth as much as you do,” he answered.

The devil slightly nodded his head. He was still not convinced.

Dean noticed this. “Michael has been planning this all along,” the older hunter added.

It was silent for a moment as the fallen archangel thought. “Fine, you have yourself a deal,” the devil stated, “but if you try to break away, Sammy’s soul is mine and you will be trapped in the pit for eternity Dean Winchester.”

Dean glanced at Sam. He really wanted to keep his baby brother out of this. Finally after a long moment, emerald orbs stared at the devil. “Fine,” he caved, “you have a deal.”

Lucifer had a victory smirk gracing his vessel’s features.

With a roll of his shoulders, Dean took a step closer to the devil. “Now do we have a seal this deal with a kiss? If so that’s Sam’s job,” he half-joked.

Lucifer rolled his eyes. “No,” he responded as he began to raise his hand.

Dean glanced at the devil’s hand and swallowed. Without backing down, the elder Winchester sealed the deal with a handshake. The deed was done.

“Pleasure doing business with you Dean,” Lucifer paused, “and Sam.”

Lucifer took a step toward his chosen vessel. Sam eyed the devil wearily. Without saying a word, the fallen archangel snapped his fingers and Sam and the Impala vanished. Dean stared wide-eyed at the place where the two most important things to him once stood before glaring at the devil with rage burning in his emerald orbs.

“Where did you send them?” Dean angrily demanded an answer.

Lucifer turned to face the hunter with a devilish smile on his lips. “Back to Bobby Singer’s home,” he answered.

Dean had a baffled expression on his face. Why send Sam back to Bobby’s without him? Why separate them? “And what about me?” Dean had to ask.

The smile on Lucifer’s face grew even more twisted. “I have other plans for you Dean,” he replied.

* * *

Sam woke up in the bed he normally slept in when he was at Bobby’s. He jolted into a sitting position and glanced at the other bed in the room. It was empty, no Dean. Last night’s events flooded the Winchester s memory. He wished the deal with Lucifer was a dream, but Sam knew otherwise. Suddenly his mind froze and his hazel eyes widened. If he was here, then where was Dean? The young Winchester threw the blankets off his body and ran down the stairs. “DEAN!” he shouted as he raced down the steps.

Castiel and Bobby were waiting at the foot of the stairs. “Sam,” they called.

But Sam ignored them and called his brother’s name once more. When he got no answer, Sam ran out the door of the house. He just had to find Dean. The younger Winchester stopped running when he reached the Impala. There was no sign of Dean anywhere. “Dean…”Sam whispered into the wind. Sam hoped his brother was alright, and now he wanted some answers as well.

“You are going to have to call a lot louder than that if you want Dean to hear you,” a familiar voice spoke.

Sam instantly turned on his heels. He recognized that voice. The man in front of the hunter was none other than the archangel Gabriel. Sam eyed the Trickster suspiciously. It’s not like the Trickster won over Sam’s trust in the past. And after learning the truth about the Gabriel’s origins, well that only added fuel to the fire.

“What do you mean?” Sam asked in an angered voice.

The archangel shrugged his shoulders. “Well your brother is not here, is he?” he responded.

Sam took a deep breath to calm himself. Losing his temper was not going to get Sam the answers he needed. “Do you know where he is?” the younger Winchester questioned.

Gabriel looked away from the hunter for a moment. “Lucifer sent him somewhere to work for him,” Gabriel explained.

Sam studied the other man in front of him. So he knew about the deal they made with Lucifer. How was that possible? The Winchester boys only just made the deal. “So you heard,” Sam muttered.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. This was classic Winchester attitude. “Everyone knows about the deal you two boys with my brother,” Gabriel criticized.

Sam leaned against the Impala. Well this wasn’t good. “Uh yeah,” he muttered underneath his breath.

The archangel glared at the hunter. “What in the hell were you thinking?” the archangel shouted.

Sam’s eyes narrowed as well. Of course the angels were judging them. “It was Dean’s idea so we can take on Michael,” Sam answered in a raised voice.

The Trickster took a step closer to the Winchester. “Well now Heaven wants your heads on a silver platter,” Gabriel stated.

Sam took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. He should have known things would take a turn for the worse. He still silently questioned if making this deal was the right thing to do. “Well that’s just great,” Sam replied dismally.

Gabriel took a step back and began to pace off to the side for a moment. It didn’t last long before he stopped and faced the hunter. “So what did you offer my brother?” the Trickster asked.

Sam blinked his hazel eyes as he recalled last night’s events. “Well umm Dean got Lucifer to agree that we help him in exchange for protection for me,” he answered.

Gabriel nodded his head. Knowing his brother, the archangel knew there was a catch or some kind of backfire. “And what’s the catch?” he replied.

Sam knew Gabriel was not going to like this. Hell, he didn’t even like it either. “Dean’s soul returns to the Pit and Lucifer owns my soul,” he answered.

Gabriel was silent for a moment with a baffled expression on his face. “Well let’s just hope you don’t break the deal then,” he sarcastically spoke.

The younger Winchester didn’t respond to the angel’s words. He wanted to know where his big brother was.

"So this protection you get…” Gabriel began.

Blinking away his thoughts, Sam eyed the archangel. “What about it?” the hunter asked.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. Honestly, he was curious about his brother granting protection of another. It wasn’t like Lucifer to do that. Then again, Sam Winchester is Lucifer’s chosen vessel. So that does make things a little bit different. “What kind of protection are we talking about here?” he curiously asked.

Sam thought about his answer for a minute. Both Dean and Lucifer were not specific about that detail when making the deal. So now Sam was curious as well. “I don’t know,” Sam answered truthfully, “It wasn’t really specified when we made the deal.”

The archangel had a quizzical expression on his face. “Are we talking about some kind of lockdown or some sort of bodyguard?” the Trickster thought out loud.

This heightened Sam’s curiosity. What kind of protection was Lucifer going to provide? And more importantly, was Dean going to be around to make fun of his little brother? Well whatever it was going to be, the devil had to keep his end of the bargain. If he didn’t, then the deal was null in void. And the devil seemed too eager to make this deal than do let it all go so easily.

“His protection would be me,” spoke a feminine voice.

Sam’s eyes widened; he recognized that voice. He turned around on his heels to confirm his suspicions. The younger Winchester froze at the person before him.


	6. Surprise, Surprise

Dean swallowed the lump in his dry throat. He had a feeling making this deal would lead him back here. Lucifer stood beside the hunter as they stood motionless in front of a devil’s gate. The devil was grinning while Dean looked defeated.

“So what,” the Winchester spoke up, “send me back to the Pit and pick up where I left off?”

The Winchester watched as the fallen archangel opened the gate. At first, Dean was concerned with letting more demons out, but then he remembered that he was smack in the middle of the Apocalypse. So the hunter gave a sideways glance to the man beside him. Lucifer didn’t answer him for a moment. He just kept smiling wickedly.

“Actually I was going to give you a promotion,” he replied.

Dean raised an eyebrow. “A promotion?” he repeated.

“You will take your old master, Alastair’s place,” the devil explained.

The Winchester took a deep, calming breath. Just hearing his old torturer’s name left the hunter unsettled. Lucifer knew Dean’s reaction, and it only made the smile on Lucifer’s lips grow.

“So that means I answer directly to you,” Dean muttered as he took a step closer to the devil’s gate.

Lucifer nodded his head. “True, but think of the benefits also,” the devil responded.

Dean eyed the fallen archangel. The hunter knew what Lucifer was talking about. It wasn’t just torturing souls Dean was given the job of, but he also granted say in where Lucifer’s army went. “Whatever,” Dean muttered before stepping through the gate and back into Hell.

Lucifer watched him go with that twisted smile before shutting the gate and vanishing.

* * *

Sam stood still in disbelief with Gabriel standing beside him. How was this even possible? “Bela?” the younger Winchester questioned.

The woman in front of him smiled. It was definitely Bela Talbot alright. But her eyes were jet black signaling her demonic nature. Both Gabriel and Sam immediately went on guard. If it was a fight she wanted, then she was in store for one.

“Hello Sam,” she greeted in her British accent. She stared at the complete and utter confusion on the hunter’s face. It made her smile. “What’s the matter, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she joked.

“How?” Sam muttered.

Bela shrugged her shoulders and crossed her arms. “Isn’t it obvious?” she responded with a ‘duh’ look on her face.

At that moment, Bobby and Castiel came racing out of the house. Bobby had a shotgun in his hands and Castiel had his angelic blade in his. Both were ready for a fight. The pair stopped at the side of Sam and Bela. The three of them eyed the pair wearily.

“Cas, Bobby,” Sam called.

Castiel and Bobby looked at the younger Winchester. “There is a whole hell of a lot of demons surrounding the place,” Bobby stated as he stared at the other hunter.

“They are with me,” Bela responded.

Castiel and Bobby’s eyes widened at the feminine voice. They hadn’t really paid attention to the other people who were with the younger hunter. Castiel stood in rigid attention at the sight of the archangel. “Gabriel,” Cas muttered.

The Trickster smiled at the respect the lesser angel had for him.

Meanwhile Bobby stared at Bela Talbot with the same disbelief as the Winchester. “You are supposed to be dead,” the elder hunter muttered.

Bela shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner. “Well I’m back now,” she stated with an evil grin as her eyes flashed demonic black once more.

“But how are you in your own body?” Sam asked.

Her eyes returned to their normal blue. “I pulled a few strings,” she answered, “I called in a few favors.” Her eyes then glanced to the short, dark-haired angel. Her eyes darkened rage at the sight of him. “YOU!” she seethed.

Both hunters’ eyes widened and their heads snapped to Cas’s direction. The angel’s face was blank, but the demon seemed consumed by revenge.

For a moment, Castiel didn’t recognize the demon in front of him. But after studying her for a minute, she did seem familiar to him.

Bela noticed his lack of response and her face twisted into a sneer. “Don’t recognize me, do you?” she asked with venom.

Sam and Bobby’s eyes darted between Bela and Cas. Both hunters wondered what was going on.

Suddenly everything clicked in Castiel’s mind. Bela seemed to have noticed this as the sneer on her face transformed into a twisted smile. “You led the resistance,” Cas muttered.

Once again, Bela crossed her arms across her chest.

“Resistance?” Gabriel questioned.

Man, he really has been out of the game for far too long. But he was not the only one who wondered what Castiel was talking about. Both Bobby and Sam were just as curious.

“When you pulled him out of the pit,” Bela reiterated.

Both hunters finally understood what the other two were talking about now. “There was a battle to get Dean out of Hell?” the younger Winchester questioned.

Castiel nodded his head. He was never going to forget what happened.

“Your angel buddy over there and his family stormed into the Pit,” Bela began, “A lot of lives were lost, both angel and demon alike, but mostly demons.”

“We gave you a peaceful offer,” Cas countered.

Bela’s eyes narrowed. His response only fueled her anger.

“Well what happened?” Sam asked. He never really knew the story of how his brother was pulled out of Hell. All that the younger Winchester knew was that it was Castiel who saved Dean.

“When we got there, we were met with resistance. The demons did not want your brother to leave,” Cas explained.

“So we fought,” Bela picked up, “little did we know that all the fighting was a distraction for this angel here to get what he wanted.”

Sam didn’t want to think about the battle that was fought to free his brother from damnation. To Sam, the bloodshed was necessary. It brought his brother back to him, and that’s all that mattered.

Then like a sudden switch was flipped, Sam remembered the matter that was most pressing to him at this point. He turned to the demon who he knew when she still had her humanity. “Do you know where my brother is?” he asked in a firm voice.

Gabriel swallowed. He had known where the elder Winchester was, but the archangel didn’t know how to break the news to the younger Winchester. It was the kind of news the kid wouldn’t want to hear.

“He is back in the Pit Sam,” she answered.

Sam gulped. He didn’t want to picture his brother back there. The younger hunter already had enough nightmares of that when Dean was dead. “Why?” Sam asked after shutting his hazel blue eyes.

If she was still human, Bela would have felt sympathy for the younger man. “He is keeping up his end of the deal by going back to work,” she replied.

Everyone there knew what the demon meant. Dean was back to torturing souls. The thought was not pleasing to all those that were close to the elder Winchester.

Bobby Singer turned to the woman. He had learned from Dean that Bela made a crossroads deal to kill her parents. Her deal was up a month before Dean’s. Clearly, the pit burned away everything that made her human.

Sam also returned his gaze to the demon. “So what is your story?” the younger Winchester asked.

Bela’s eyes seem to daze out for a moment, seemingly lost her in thoughts. “Well you can guess where the Hellhounds dragged my soul,” she began to explain.

Sam and Bobby glanced at one another briefly before turning back to the female demon. Their ears were open to what she had to say.

“My soul was dragged down to the Pit. When I first woke up, I was scared and alone. I screamed and screamed for someone to help me until my voice was raw, and I couldn’t scream any more. Then the torture began...” she explained.

Both hunters swallowed; they could not imagine what the woman before them had been through. “So you were sent to the rack,” Sam concluded. He remembered Dean’s description and the word rack stuck out.

Bobby noticed Bela pale at the word. Was the rack that terrifying?

“No,” she replied, “I wasn’t like your brother. I never got the same offer he did.”

Her words confused the hunters. But Castiel knew what the demon was talking about, and Gabriel had a pretty good idea.

“What you ya mean?” Bobby asked.

The demon took a deep breath. Though she may be a demon now, Hell was still a nightmare. “The rack belongs to Alastair, and only certain souls are sent there,” she informed the others.

A confused look appeared on Sam’s face. He did not understand Bela’s explanation. “But you said you had been tortured,” he asked for an explanation. 

“All the tortures were demons who had learned a few tricks from Alastair,” she explained.

The hunters understood now what Bela meant. But then what about Dean? What happened to the elder Winchester when he was in the pit? “So Dean was sent to the rack and to Alastair,” Sam tried to put the pieces together.

Bela’s face was well guarded and unreadable. “When Dean was on the rack, his screams could be heard throughout the Pit. You couldn’t even begin to imagine the things Alastair did to your brother. Evens demons flinched. But then again your brother was the first seal and had to be broken,” she stated.

“And…” Gabriel muttered. He hated demons and their monologues. They could never just get to the point.

“Unlike the other demons who learned from Alastair, Dean stayed with him and the rack after he broke. I was one of the souls brought to Dean. While he cut and carved me, he made me an offer. All of the pain will go away only if I let go. And I was tired; so I did. Your brother saved me,” Bela recalled.

For a moment, Sam thought he was going to be sick. His brother was the reason Bela turned into a demon. The thought made the Winchester’s stomach clench. This was his big brother, Sam never wanted to see Dean in that light.

“If there are so many demons in Hell that torture souls, then why send Dean back?” Sam demanded an answer.

The smirk reappeared on Bela’s lips. Sam just didn’t get it. “Because he is one of the best. Once when he got off that rack, your brother became ruthless. He tore through souls without a second thought and no remorse. A lot of other demons started to look up to him,” she answered with admiration in her voice.

Sam studied the woman in front of him as she explained what Dean was like in Hell. The Winchester found it strange the way she said Dean had saved her. Not to mention the strange twinkle in her blue eyes as she spoke. It took a minute for the answer to strike the younger hunter. “You were in love with him,” he stated incredulously.

All the other men’s mouths dropped at the younger man’s words. ‘No way,’ they all thought. 

Bela’s eyes widened. For a minute, she was too stunned to speak. “No,” she responded while building her defenses back up.

But Sam didn’t believe her. He knew the shocking truth.

“So my brother sent you to protect little Sam here,” Gabriel spoke after clearing his throat and pointing to the younger Winchester son. Not that Gabriel wasn’t amused by the earlier conversation; it was most certainly an awkward one.

Bela nodded her head. She was grateful for the change of subject as well. “That is correct,” she answered, “Sam Winchester will have the protection of Lucifer’s ranks until Michael is dead.”

Gabriel looked at the young man with an impressed look on his face. “Not bad,” he muttered. The archangel was still suspicious of his older brother’s tactics. The Trickster was certain Lucifer has something up his sleeve.

“So I take it we’ll be helping you then,” Bobby thought out loud.

Once again Bela nodded her head in agreement. “That is the plan,” she replied.

“When do we start?” Sam spoke up. He was tired of standing around and doing nothing. He needed to do something. The faster they win the war, the faster Dean can get out of Hell.

The demon smirked at Sam’s enthusiasm. She knew the reason behind the young man’s hastiness. “When we get our orders,” she responded.

Sam watched her turn around and began to walk away. No, she couldn’t leave. Right now, Bela was his only tie to Dean. “Wait!” Sam called.

Bela stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. “What Sam?” she asked.

Sam waited a minute before responding, “How can I talk with my brother?”

Bela paused for a moment. She remembered her strict instructions concerning the matter. “You can’t,” she answered.

The younger Winchester sulked. He was so angry for a brief moment. How dare Lucifer try to split the Winchesters up!

But then Bela pointed to Castiel before adding, “But the angel who pulled your brother out is the only one that can go between the two of you.” She then turned back around and vanished.

Once when they were certain the demon was gone, Bobby, Castiel, and Gabriel all turned to face the Winchester. All three of the older men had a worried expression on their faces.

“Sam,” Bobby uttered.

Sam looked up to the other men.

“This is a disaster,” Gabriel muttered.

The younger Winchester looked at him with a curious expression. What in the world was wrong with them? “What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“Days here are weeks, months in Hell,” the archangel began to explain.

The younger hunter eyed the Trickster. He remembered his older brother explaining that. Dean had been dead for four months, but he spent forty years in Hell. “I remember,” Sam responded.

“This deal was a terrible idea,” Bobby muttered.

The Winchester felt very impatient. Would the three of them just get to the point! And they say demons are bad.

“Dean is on a slippery slope,” Castiel continued, “Being back in the pit is going to make him remember…”

Sam shook his head. He didn’t want to hear this. It was Dean they were talking about. “C’mon,” the younger man responded, “I mean Dean…”

Gabriel cut the Winchester off, “Dean isn’t the man he once was. Sure he is still a smart ass, irrational, and a good leader, but Hell changed him. Souls are not meant to escape the pit. The only way a soul is supposed to break free from the pit is by becoming a demon.”

Sam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Sure Sam might have had some doubts about Dean since his resurrection in the past, but that was behind the younger Winchester. “I believe in him,” Sam stated in a firm voice.

Bobby sighed. He agreed with the other two angels. He really wanted to believe in the elder Winchester, but he couldn’t deny the truth. The elder hunter didn’t want to lose either of the Winchester boys; those boys were like his own.

“Sam, Dean is going to change. The pit does that,” Cas tried to explain.

“We’ll see about that,” Sam challenged.

* * *

Dean stared at the now unconscious angel. The hunter grabbed a cloth and wiped away the blood that stained his hands. Angels were easy to make them talk. Blood dripped onto the floor from the open wounds on the angel’s stomach. The immortal’s head hung low, hiding a bruised and bloodied face. Dean threw the now red stained towel on the cart that held his tools and turned away from the rack. Never again did the Winchester think he would be back here in this predicament. He took a deep breath and swallowed. He wasn’t going to let this affect him. The elder Winchester son refused to be broken in Hell once more.

Dean opened his eyes when he heard someone clapping. Turning his head to the right, the hunter noticed Lucifer leaning against the door frame.

“I think you broke our friend here,” the devil commented as he walked toward the Winchester.

The hunter didn’t respond to the other man’s words. He wasn’t going to play any damn mind games. The fallen archangel raised an eyebrow at the other man’s silence. Dean Winchester is most definitely a defiant one.

The devil changed the subject, “What did he tell you?”

Dean turned his head to glance at the unconscious before turning back to Lucifer. The hunter felt no sympathy for what he did to the angel. “The angels are going after Death next,” the Winchester stated.

Lucifer nodded his head. So what Dean said had been true, Michael is trying to recruit the devil’s four Horsemen. Well that was something the fallen archangel was not going to put up with. “And what do you think should be done Dean?” the devil asked.

Dean hesitated. To be honest, the elder Winchester did not want to be back in Hell and helping the devil, but he had no other choice than to make that deal. Dean did not see any other way to fight. “Send your troops to grab Death before Michael and his followers get to him. After all he is the most important Horseman out of the four of them,” the hunter answered in a monotone.

Lucifer nodded his head once more. He was in agreement with the man in front of him. “Well then, you know what to do,” Lucifer responded.

The unconscious angel strapped to the rack groaned as he began to wake up. Both Lucifer and Dean turned to face the prisoner.

A small, sinister smile formed on the devil’s lips. “Before I go, I have a gift for you Dean,” Lucifer stated.

Dean turned his head to look at the fallen archangel. Lucifer pulled out a knife and handed it to the hunter. Dean took a minute to study the weapon. The metal was practically identical to the blade Castiel covets. But the hunter has never seen an angel’s blade as a knife before. He looked back up at the devil’s face with a curious eyebrow raised.

“It is an angel’s blade; I made it myself,” Lucifer answered the Winchester’s unspoken question.

Dean glanced back down at the knife in his hands. He had a bad feeling in his gut why he was given the weapon.

“You are going to need it,” the devil added before vanishing.

Dean continued to stare at the knife in his hands for a minute. Taking a deep breath, he turned back around and walked up to the angel on the rack. His emerald orbs held no emotion as he gripped the handle of the blade in his hands. The angel’s eyes were clouded in fear as the hunter raised the knife to strike….

* * *

Sam, Castiel, and Gabriel sat down at Bobby’s kitchen table. Bobby was currently in his study conducting research. The demons surrounding the house left the elder hunter on edge. Some of them had left with Bela, but the rest of the demons remained outside creating a perimeter. No words were spoken between the three men sitting at the kitchen table. All of them were lost in their own thoughts. To Sam, this was all crap. Everything has been spiraling downwards for so long, he couldn’t even remember how long. The younger Winchester still cannot believe how things have gotten this bad. Here they were fighting a war to prevent the end of the world. And what is even worse was they were on the side of demons. So much has changed since the younger hunter spent his days studying at Stanford. Those days were so much simpler. Go to class, spend time with Jess; yep definitely a lot easier. But then again, Sam had cut his older brother and their father out of his life. Sam knew how ignorant he was back then. But at least everyone had been safe in those days. There was no way Sam could say that now. He just really wanted this war to be over with.

Gabriel reflected on the times before his older brother fell. Humans were still young babies in the eyes of the angels. Everything has changed so much since those days. But the archangel learned that no one can stop change. It was necessary part of life. So he took a deep breath and cleared his mind. Lingering on the past was not going to help with anything in the present.

Castiel closed his eyes. He has changed so much since rescuing Dean Winchester out of Hell. Before he ever met the human, Castiel was an obedient and loyal warrior of God. Never would he question his orders or his actions. But after meeting the Winchester, things had changed. Dean opened Castiel’s eyes to all the things the angel has been ignorant to. Now he stood alongside humanity against his brothers and sisters. Funny what fate throws at people. But deep inside, the angel knew he was doing the right thing.

“So depressing, the three of you look so glum,” Bela commented as she stood in the doorway of Bobby’s kitchen.

The three men looked up to the female demon. She had a bored expression on her attractive face.

“Bela,” Sam greeted with a nod of his head.

She took a step out of the doorway and closer to the table. “It is time to go,” she stated in a flat voice.

The three men glanced at one another before returning their gazes back to the female demon. “We have our first assignment?” Castiel asked.

Bela nodded her head.

“So what is it?” Sam asked. Like hell he was going in blind. Sam Winchester was no lap dog.

Bela rolled her eyes. She should have remembered what the Winchesters were like. “We are going to retrieve the horsemen Death before the angels can get to him,” Bela answered.


	7. Falling on Deaf Ears

Gabriel, Castiel, and Sam quickly glanced at one another before looking back at Bela. “Death?” Gabriel questioned.

The female demon rolled her eyes. Honestly the three men in front of her could be such idiots. “Yes Death, one of the four Horsemen,” she chided.

Sam resisted the urge to roll his hazel eyes. Bela had a smart mouth that left the Winchester irritated.

“Are you sure your information is reliable?” Castiel asked.

The female glared at the fallen angel. It was obvious the two of them will not be getting along. Out of the blue, a smirk appeared on Bela’s lips. The men in front of her had no idea what she knew. “My source is very reliable. The information came from someone who has the skills to get anyone to talk,” she responded.

Sam had a sinking feeling in his gut that he knew who she was talking about. “You mean Dean,” he stated.

All eyes fell on to the younger Winchester. The hunter wasn’t sure if he was ready to hear the answer.

Bela nodded her head in confirmation. “Yes, and since Death is the one Horseman both sides will kill for, we are wasting time just standing here,” she responded.

With those words spoken, the female demon turned on her heels and headed to the doorway that led out of the kitchen. Castiel, Sam, and Gabriel stood motionless, completely stupefied. Bela groaned. Why did she get stuck doing this again? She turned back around with an annoyed look plastered on her attractive face. “Well don’t just stand there, we have work to do,” she commented.

Shaking their heads, the three men were pulled from their stupor. They followed the demon to the front door. They really had no other choice but to follow her.

Bobby was blocking his front door. He had been waiting impatiently for the others to show up. The elder hunter did not have to wait long. Bela and Sam walked out of the kitchen with Cas and Gabriel following closely behind. When the younger Winchester’s eyes spotted the older man, he stopped dead in his tracks. The other three followed suit.

“Bobby,” Sam uttered, “What are you doing?”

Bobby shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner, but his gaze was hardened. “I could ask you the same question boy,” he responded.

Sam tore his eyes away from the other hunter. He then turned to the other three people in the room. Bela looked impatient, Gabriel appeared as though he was up to no good, and Cas pretended not to notice what else was going on. “I’ll meet you outside,” the young man spoke.

Bobby took a step to the side as the three powerful beings walked out of his home, but his gaze never faltered from the other hunter. Sam took a deep breath. He knew the older man’s tirade would begin at any moment.

At the moment, all Bobby Singer could do was shake his head. Lately, he couldn’t believe how bad things have gotten. Dean was back in Hell torturing souls for the Devil himself, and now Sam was fighting alongside Lucifer’s ranks. But then again, when weren’t their lives screwed up? “You were just gonna leave without a word,” the older man began in a calm, but angered voice.

The Winchester blinked. He knew the other hunter was going to be stubborn. “You are not coming with us Bobby,” Sam responded in a firm voice.

The elder hunter’s eyes narrowed. The younger man was acting just like his father, insanely stubborn, and ready to face the battle alone. John and Sam Winchester were two peas in the same pod. “The hell I am!” Bobby yelled.

Sam shook his head. “NO!” he shouted.

Bobby paused at the younger man’s tone. Sam hardly ever raised his voice.

The younger Winchester took a couple steps toward the other man. “This is our deal, and I’m not going to let others get involved,” Sam stated.

Bobby eyed the younger hunter wearily. He had a feeling there was more to it, but decided not to push it. Both of them were not ones to talk about their feelings much. “And Cas and Gabriel?” Singer responded.

“Castiel agreed to be a part of it, and he is the only one who can reach Dean,” the younger man explained, “And Gabriel is finally standing up to his brothers.”

Bobby bit the inside of his cheek. It didn’t explain why he couldn’t fight. Hell, he has been fighting since before the Winchester boys were born. “Sam,” he growled.

Sam put a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “Besides we need a safe place. And there is no safer place I can think of than here. You can keep us informed on what else is going on,” the younger man added.

Bobby reluctantly gave up the fight. Truthfully, he didn’t want to see anything bad happen to either of the boys. “Be careful you idjit,” he caved.

A small smile appeared on Sam’s lips. “I will,” he spoke before walking out.

Bela, Gabriel, and Castiel were waiting for the Winchester on the porch. Sam started to walk down the wooden steps; he wanted to get this over with.

“Took you long enough,” Bela muttered.

Sam rolled his eyes in response. _‘What a bitch,’_ he thought. “Let’s just go,” he responded.

“You sure you don’t need a moment?” the Trickster joked.

The younger man chose to ignore the archangel’s comment.

Bela stepped in front of Sam. “I’ll lead the way,” she stated.

* * *

Sam stared at his surroundings. There was no way they could be in the right place. They were standing in the middle of the street in front of a pizza parlor. No way Death could be inside. “Are you sure we are in the right place?” Sam asked the demon with a raised eyebrow.

Bela rolled her eyes at his idiocy. “No, I led you to the wrong place for no reason,” she sarcastically replied.

Gabriel huffed. “Well you are a demon after all,” he commented.

Bela’s blue eyes shifted to glare at the archangel. “You are one to talk,” she responded.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders while a mischievous smile danced on his lips. He was the Trickster after all.

“We are wasting time,” Castiel stated in a monotone. The angel started to walk toward the Italian restaurant.

Gabriel, Bela, and Sam blinked and followed the angel into the pizza place.

When they walked inside, all four of them noticed the dead bodies scattered in the restaurant. Some were on the floor, while others were still seated at the tables. Sam gulped. The sight around him was hard to take in. The table in the center was the only table with a living being seated. Sam, Bela, Cas, and Gabriel all glanced at one another with nervous and somewhat fearful expressions. They all knew who that was. Death didn’t seem so terrifying as they had imagined. But then again looks can be deceiving. None of them took a step closer to the Horseman.

“Who is going to talk to him?” Sam asked in a whisper after a long moment of silence. The hunter felt a nudge on his shoulder that forced him to take a step forward.

“That will be you,” Gabriel muttered.

Sam rolled his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he walked toward the dreaded table.

The Horseman had been waiting patiently for the Winchester. He looked up when the hunter reached the table. A small smile appeared on Death’s lips. “Have a seat Sam,” he spoke as he pointed to the empty chair across from him.

Sam glanced at his other three companions before taking a seat. “So you know who I am,” the Winchester spoke as he sat down.

Death took a bite of the pizza in front of him. “The pizza here is most delicious,” he stated before taking another bite.

Sam had no idea what to say. He wasn’t expecting the Horseman to act this way.

“Of course I know who you are,” Death stated after finishing his meal.

Sam locked eyes with the being sitting across from him. The Horseman’s eyes were empty, soulless pools. It unnerved the hunter. “Ok,” the human muttered.

“You and your brother have quite the reputation,” Death continued.

Sam went on alert when Death dared to mention Dean. The Horseman noticed this and the small smile on his lips reappeared. “And how are we so famous?” Sam questioned. He knew the Horseman in front of him was testing him.

Death leaned back in his chair. “I think that is rather obvious,” he responded.

The hunter felt the urge to roll his eyes. “The two of you have a nasty habit of escaping death, especially Dean,” Death explained.

Sam raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure where the powerful being was going with this.

“Makes you two a real thorn in my side,” the Horseman added.

“I guess we just have that effect on people,” Sam retorted.

It was silent between the two men sitting at the table for a moment. “So do you know why I’m here?” Sam asked to break the tension.

Death nodded his head. “You Winchesters made a deal with Lucifer,” he stated.

The hunter nodded his head. “To stop the Apocalypse,” he added.

The Horseman relaxed in his seat. “Interesting way of doing that,” he commented, “considering everything.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed and the look on his face hardened before responding, “And what are you trying to say?”

“Well you are here, and where is your brother?” Death replied.

The look on Sam’s face softened. He hated to think about where his brother is.

“I wouldn’t think what Dean is doing is exactly good,” the Horseman commented.

Sam didn’t want to know how Death knew all of this. “The angels are after you,” the Winchester stated.

Death nodded his head. “So I have heard,” he muttered.

“They will kill you if you don’t join them,” Sam continued.

The Horseman raised an eyebrow at the hunter sitting across from him. “And you are here to offer me protection,” Death stated.

Sam nodded his head once more. At that moment, Bela walked up to the table with the two angels right behind her. “Lucifer has ordered your protection,” she stated.

Death looked at the demon with an unreadable expression. “Lucifer…” he uttered.

Sam looked between Bela and the Horseman. Why did he have the feeling he was missing something?”

Death stood up from the table. He glanced back at the Winchester. “If you wish to avert the Apocalypse, you should remember that the balance must be maintained,” the Horseman stated.

Sam stared at the Horseman with a baffled expression on his face. Death nodded his head to Bela. Two other demons suddenly appeared. Bela glanced at the two of them before looking back at the Horseman. The Horseman and the two demons began to walk out of the pizza parlor.

But the Horseman stopped dead in his tracks to glance back at the hunter. “Tell you brother I will be seeing him soon,” he spoke before vanishing with the two demons.

Sam was still stuck on Death’s words. What did the Horseman mean?

* * *

Dean did not have to turn around to know Lucifer was standing behind him. The hunter rolled his eyes. “Don’t you have better things to do?” he commented.

The twisted smile on Satan’s lips never wavered. “Just remember all I am doing for you Dean,” Lucifer reprimanded.

Dean closed his eyes. Sammy’s wellbeing was on the line. And it was something Dean was not going to risk. He turned around to face the devil with a guarded expression on his face. “Well what do you want then?” the Winchester demanded an answer.

The devil was silent for a moment. He thought about how could answer the human. There were a lot of things the devil could say. “I have a VIP patient for you,” Lucifer answered.

Dean raised an eyebrow. Why was Lucifer hand delivering a soul to him? Who was it? “Who?” the human questioned.

The devil took a step closer to the experienced hunter. The smile on Satan’s lips only grew. “An old friend,” Lucifer answered, “Zachariah.”

Dean’s mouth slightly dropped. Zachariah had been captured? “I wouldn’t exactly call that dick a friend,” the Winchester responded.

Lucifer let out a chuckle before getting serious. “I need you to get him to say where Michael is,” the devil ordered.

There was a blank expression on Dean’s face. Well he had wanted a challenge. “Fine,” he replied.

Lucifer watched Dean turn around and began to head back to the where Zachariah could now be found. “Dean,” the devil called.

Dean stopped walking and glanced over his shoulder to look at the other being. “What did your last companion have to say?” Satan asked.

The hunter internally cringed. The last angel he tortured had broken completely. “War is playing for both teams,” the Winchester stated.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “And what do you think should be done about it?” Lucifer asked.

Dean took a minute to think. Why the hell was the devil asking what Dean would do? The hunter was certain Satan already had something in mind. “Personally if I were you I would take him out myself,” Dean answered, “As a reminder of what happens when loyalty is questioned.”

The devil nodded his head. He seemed to weigh his options for a minute. “An interesting idea,” he thought out loud.

Suddenly Lucifer vanished. Dean looked around him, he was alone once more. He sighed before heading back to his rack.

Zachariah watched as Dean Winchester headed toward the rack the angel was currently strapped to. The angel noted that no emotion could be found on the hunter’s face. Normally Dean’s emerald orbs revealed every emotion he felt at the current moment. The blank eyes were slightly unnerving. Zachariah swallowed. He needed to find a way to take control of this situation. This was Dean Winchester after all, the poster boy for a broken individual. The angel was certain he could twist the human so the angel can escape.

Dean reached for the straight razor. He had said nothing to the angel yet. Lifting the razor to eye level, the hunter was certain the angel could see the instrument. Dean lowered his hand, and his eyes fell upon his prisoner. It was the first time the Winchester acknowledged the other man’s presence. Dean took a few steps closer to the rack. “Zachariah,” he greeted in a flat tone.

Zachariah wasn’t too certain his plan of escape might work. “Well look how far you have fallen. Maybe we should have never pulled out in the first place,” the angel commented.

Dean only blinked. This angel was not going to get inside his head. “You are going to tell me where Michael is,” he stated in a dangerous tone.

Zachariah laughed out loud, and his eyes were full of mockery. “Yeah right,” he responded. There was no way he was going to reveal the archangel’s location.

The human tilted his head to the side. “You’re right,” he responded.

The angel watched the hunter put down the straight razor. No way it could be that easy. Reaching into his pocket, Dean pulled out the angelic blade Lucifer had given him. Zachariah’s eyes widened considerably as he stared at the knife in the Winchester’s hand. “I could never get you to talk with that. But this,” Dean spoke as he walked closer to the angel with the knife gripped in hands, “I can get you to talk with this.” The hunter smiled at the look of fear the angel had.

The only thing that could be heard were Zachariah’s screams. Dean said nothing as he sunk the blade through the angel’s flesh. Zachariah felt his essence slip away each time the blade cut through his skin, but death never came. The process was taxing on the angel. Each time the hunter brought the knife to the angel’s flesh, Zachariah feared this was the end. He had a strong will, and an even stronger tolerance for torture, but he wouldn’t be able to hold out forever. No one ever does. And Dean was well trained in the art of torture. So how long was the angel going to last? Will his brothers and sisters rescue him in time before he breaks? Dean wiped away the angel’s blood that stained his hands. Zachariah was gasping for air to fill his lungs. Blood dripped down the rack from the angel’s waist on to the floor. Some of the crimson liquid stained the human’s boots. Yet Dean paid no mind to it. He still had work to do.

The slow torture went on for hours and hours. More blood cascaded down the rack. Sweat beat down Zachariah’s forehead. He wasn’t sure how much more of his he could take. Dean’s emerald orbs were empty abysses. The hunter knew the angel was about to break. Zachariah was all about self-preservation, and people like that never lasted long. Dean ran the blade across his prisoner’s shoulder to the other one. Blood trickled down the wound, and Zachariah let out a pathetic whimper. For the first time since he started the torture, Dean smirked. Now he was certain he could get the angel to talk. The hunter dropped the blade to his side as he took a step closer to the angel. The human rested his hand close to Zachariah’s head as leaned his head down to the angel’s ear. “Now you are going to tell me where Michael is, or do I still have to spill more of your guts?” Dean spoke.

Zachariah stared into the human’s green pools as he panted. Clearly he underestimated the skills the Winchester acquired in the pit. And judging by the look on the other man’s face, Zachariah figured Dean was only just starting. The angel realized that his brothers and sisters were not coming to save him; it was far too risky. He was trapped in the clutches of the human in front of him, and there was no chance of escaping. Zachariah hated himself for what he was about to do. “Alright,” the angel caved.

A twisted smirk formed on the Winchester’s lips. “So…” Dean dragged the word out.

“I’ll tell you where Michael is,” Zachariah stated.

* * *

War slowly lifted himself onto his knees. Blood trickled down from the split on his lip, and his right eye was slowly turning black and blue as well as visibly being swollen. His body ached from the beating he had received from the fallen angel who was supposed to be his master. It appears that Lucifer discovered that War held no loyalties. Slowly Lucifer walked toward his Horseman, a twisted smile on his lips. The things he was going to do to the conniving Horseman only made the devil smile. He stopped when he was just a couple of steps in front of the other being.

“I am very disappointed in you War,” Satan chided. He took another step closer to the wounded Horseman.

War knew this was the end for him. Like a spoiled child, it was Lucifer’s way or no other way. And it only made things worse that War was helping Michael, the source of Satan’s rage.

“Such a shame,” Lucifer muttered.

He raised his hand and made a fist. War eyes widened in terror. Whit a twist of a wrist, blood spurted everywhere as there was no more of the manipulative Horseman. Lucifer wiped away the blood that stained his cheek. Problem solved.

* * *

It has been two days since Sam and the others met the Horseman Death. The hunter and the two angels returned to Bobby’s house. Bela made her appearance every so often, and there was still a demonic detail guarding the salvage yard. It left Bobby on edge, but he was managing. The younger Winchester paced in the living room. Sam couldn’t escape his thoughts traveling to his big brother. Was Dean ok? Was he really torturing souls in the pit once more? Sam stopped pacing. There was one way to get the answers he sought out.

Castiel and Gabriel were sitting on the porch. No words were spoken between the two angels, but it was not an awkward silence. Both were enjoying the peacefulness of their father’s creation. For Cas, his rebellion was worth it. He believed in everything his father created, and fought to protect it like a true warrior of God should. Gabriel felt the same way. It was one of the reasons he left Heaven. Things were not the same after Michael banished Lucifer. Ever since, Gabriel had tried not pick sides. They were still his brothers after all and he loved them both. But even the Trickster knew he couldn’t stay neutral forever. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Like he told the Winchester brothers, fate could not be avoided.

The younger Winchester found the two angels sitting comfortably out on Bobby’s porch. Sam took a deep breath to calm the frantic urgency that coursed through him. For a moment, Sam closed his eyes and imagined what his brother would say to him right now. _“Overreacting much Samantha, it must be that time of the month,”_ Dean would say. The hunter opened his hazel eyes. With himself much calmer, he walked out on to the porch. Both Cas and Gabriel turned their heads to look at the human. Sam greeted them with a small smile on his lips. Not surprisingly, the angels did not return the jester. Sam cleared his throat. He didn’t come out here to chill with the angels.

Both Gabriel and Castiel knew the younger Winchester had something to say. His face has always been an open book.

“What is on your mind Sam?” Castiel asked.

Sam looked at the angel he and his brother have grown close to over the last year. He moved closer to the celestial being. Cas waited patiently for his friend to answer him. “I need you to check up on Dean,” the hunter stated.

Gabriel grunted. He was wondering when Sam was going to ask his fellow angel that. The Trickster was surprised the human hadn’t asked sooner.

Cas looked away from the younger Winchester. He too had been expecting this request. Now all the angel had to do was think about his answer. The human didn’t fully understand what he was asking of the angel. It was a difficult journey to make even when he had Heaven’s full power. It would be an even greater challenge now. “Sam…” Cas began.

But the human raised a hand to silence the angel. Gabriel remained silent. This was not his battle.

“Don’t tell me you can’t Cas,” Sam interrupted, “this is Dean we are talking about here.”

For a moment, the fallen angel said nothing. He thought about what the hunter said. Do it for Dean…. The eldest Winchester son had a profound effect on the angel. Hell, Castiel fell because he believed in the anomaly that is Dean Winchester. The hunter was more than just a charge, and more than just a friend to the angel. Dean gave Castiel hope. Perhaps the journey was one to take. After all, Cas knew for certain Dean was not safe in Hell. Though the human may not be in physical danger, his emotional wellbeing was on the line. Concern filled the angel. How far gone was his charge?

Castiel stood up. Both Sam and Gabriel gave the trench coat wearing angel questioning looks. The fallen angel’s gaze fell onto the human. As usual, Sam felt as though the angel’s intense gaze stared straight through his soul.

“I will go,” Cas stated.

A surprised look replaced the questioning one on the hunter’s face. He was grateful the angel had agreed to his request. Sam smiled. Once again, he was indebted to the angel. “Thanks Cas,” Sam genuinely thanked.

Castiel nodded his head. It was going to be a rough ride. Cas took a few steps past the porch steps. With a flap of invisible wings to the human eye, the angel vanished.

* * *

Dean took a deep breath. He had stepped away from his rack. In addition to having Zachariah on the rack, a new angel has been captured as well. The hunter has his work cut out for him. Dean needed to find out if the angels had acquired Famine, or if the Horseman has been dealt with. Of course there was the possibility the angels haven’t even gotten their greedy hands on the Horseman. Whatever the answer was, the human had to find out. He knew he wasn’t going to get the answer from Zachariah. The angel probably didn’t even know. So the Winchester needed to get the information from the new angel. Though he never dare tell another soul, Dean felt as though he never left the pit. He still loved the work, and it sickened him. Maybe this deal was a bad idea, but there was no going back. He might as well finish what he started.

A flap of wings brought the Winchester from his thoughts. The hunter turned around and came face to face with the angel last time the hunter was sent to Hell because of a deal he made. Dean’s eyes suddenly widened. What was Cas doing here? Did something happen upstairs? The human feared the worst. If Cas was here, where was Sam? Sam had better be safe. The elder Winchester took a deep breath. He was channeling Sam again.

“Cas?” Dean asked. He needed to be sure the being in front of him was indeed the angel Castiel.

Cas nodded his head. He had been studying the human in front of him. The angel was even more concerned for his charge. Dean’s clothes were bloodstained, and his vibrant green eyes were empty. It saddened the angel to know that Gabriel, Bobby, and his own suspicions were correct. Hell was not a good place for a soul like Dean Winchester. “Yes Dean,” Castiel responded.

A small smile appeared on the hunter’s lips; he was glad to see the other man.

Dean crossed his arms across his toned chest. He had been in Hell for weeks now. He knew it has only been a few days back on Earth though. But he also knew a lot can happen in just a few days. “So what’s been happening? Is Sam alright?” the human questioned.

Cas took a deep breath. In some ways, Sam and Dean were exactly the same. “Sam is fine,” the angel replied.

The elder Winchester sighed in relief. It was good to hear that.

“Bela is in charge of your brother’s protection,” Castiel continued.

Dean froze. Bela… Cas wasn’t talking about Bela Talbot? The human panicked. He was the reason Bela had lost her humanity, and now Sam was going to learn what kind of monster his brother was. “Bela, really,” the hunter muttered his thoughts out loud.

“That is correct,” Cas replied. He knew the reason why Dean was so shaky about Sam and Bela reuniting.

Clearing his throat, Dean asked, “What else?”

Castiel tilted his head to the side. “We managed to get to Death first, and the Horseman is safe,” the angel informed.

Dean nodded his head. Lucifer had already told him about that.

“Gabriel has also joined us,” Cas stated.

The hunter raised an eyebrow. Well that is a surprise. “Really,” he thought out loud, “Wouldn’t have thought that would ever happen.”

Castiel was in agreement. It is still a surprise that the archangel had finally taken a stand. “He complains a lot,” the fallen angel added.

Dean let out a chuckle. The Trickster wouldn’t be the Trickster is he didn’t run his mouth.

Breaking the moment between the two mean were panicked male screams coming from the rack in the room behind the hunter. There was a flicker in Dean’s eyes. Castiel recognized the voice screaming. “Is that Zachariah who is screaming?” the blue-eyed angel asked.

The screaming continued for a moment. Dean knew the trapped angel would not have stayed unconscious for long. Yet the hunter wished his prisoner would have stayed knocked out long enough for Castiel not to have noticed. The Winchester nodded his head. The screaming died down to a mix between a sob and a whimper. Cas stared at the human in front of him with disbelief. The angel knew all of this was not a good sign.

“Are you sure about this?” Cas had to ask.

Dean sighed in frustration. He was tired of doubting himself, and others questioning him. “I am doing what is necessary,” he responded in a frustrated tone.

Castiel took a step closer to his friend, but Dean took a step back. “This is a dark path you are travelling,” the angel stated.

The hunter stared at the blue-eyed being for a minute. “I am not going to break again Cas,” Dean reassured.

Castiel wondered who Dean was trying to convince, himself or Castiel. “I hope so,” the angel barely whispered.

Dean turned back around to head back to the other room. He glanced over his shoulder to look at his friend. “Keep an eye on Sammy for me,” he requested.

Castiel nodded his head. He could not help but wonder who would look out for the elder Winchester. “I will,” the angel replied.

“I have work to do,” Dean then stated.

Cas sighed, he was going to pray for his friend. With the sound of wings flapping, Castiel was gone once more. Once he was certain the angel was gone, Dean headed back to the rack to get the answers he needed. Dean hoped he was right about this….


	8. Get Out Alive

After Castiel left, Gabriel and Sam headed back inside the house to wait. They joined Bobby in his living room. The elder hunter was conducting research to help out with another hunter in the next town over. At first Sam thought it was insignificant, doing a simple hunt when it’s the end of the world. But then he figured how important it really was. The job was the hunter’s crutch, the reason to keep going. To fight. So the younger Winchester dove into the books to help with the other hunter with the time consuming research. Even the archangel cracked open a book. Seeing the Trickster sifting through a book put a smile on Sam’s face. Even in the face of all this darkness, there was still some hope.

About an hour later, a gust of wind blew into Bobby Singer’s living room. All three men’s heads jerked to the direction of the doorway. A weakened Castiel was leaning against the door frame. Both Sam and Gabriel shot up out of their seats, each grabbing the angel by the upper arm. Did the angel run into trouble?

“Cas….” Sam muttered.

A small, weak smile formed on Castiel’s lips. He could sense the worry from the younger man. “My journey has weakened me considerably. I must-“ Cas didn’t get to finish his explanation before collapsing.

Both Gabriel and Sam held on to the unconscious angel, preventing him from falling to a heap on the floor. Bobby moved closer to the other men. “Is he going to be ok?” the elder man asked.

Gabriel nodded his head. “Travelling to Hell and back has taken a lot out of him. He must rest,” the archangel informed the hunters.

Bobby nodded his head in agreement. He glanced at the couch in the room. There were a couple of books on the old piece of furniture. “Bring him over to the couch,” he ordered before walking to the couch and clearing it off.

Both Sam and Gabriel wrapped the fallen angel’s arms over their shoulders and carried him over to the couch. Once the sleeping being was lying down, the younger Winchester sighed in relief. It wouldn’t be long now.

The three men headed to into the kitchen. They would wait for Castiel to wake up there. Gabriel used his powers to make a tray of his favorite candies appear. Bobby rolled his eyes at the archangel’s incredible sweet tooth. Bobby made up a couple burgers for himself and the other hunter. The three men ate in silence. All of them were ready for the moment Castiel to awaken. The three were all very curious to know what the eldest Winchester son was holding up in the pit.

The angel woke up two hours later. He jolted into a sitting position. All of his injuries were gone. He stood up and looked around. There was no one else in the living room. But he could sense his brother in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, the angel headed to the other room to inform Sam about Dean. The blue-eyed angel wasn’t sure if the human was going to like what he was about to hear.

Both Bobby and Sam were glaring at the mischievous grinning archangel when Cas walked in. All previous tension was gone when the three men notices the other man. “You feeling better?” Sam asked his friend.

Castiel nodded his head and sat down in the empty seat at the table.

For a moment, it was silent. None of them knew where to start. The uncomfortable silence made the younger Winchester impatient. He wanted to know how his older brother was doing. Hell, the younger hunter wanted his brother here with him. “So you saw Dean?” Sam began.

At first Cas didn’t respond. How was he supposed to tell the young man what he saw? The angel wasn’t sure if the human would believe him. “I did,” Castiel answered.

Relief washed over the hunter, it was so good to hear that. Gabriel could feel the unease form his little brother. The archangel knew something was up with Cas.

Castiel took a deep breath. “Sam your brother is physically safe, but…” he began.

The smile vanished from Sam’s soft lips. Oh no, Dean was in trouble. “But what Cas? Is Dean in trouble?” the Winchester asked.

A sad look appeared on the angel’s face as he replied, “He’s changing Sam. The longer he spends there, the more it’s going to affect him.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure what exactly the angel meant. Whatever the angel he could mean, it couldn’t be true. “What are you saying?” he asked in an exasperated voice.

Gabriel and Bobby glanced at one another. Both should have known the younger man would have been in denial.

“With every being your brother tortures, the more he falls,” the angel reiterated.

Sam rubbed his temples. It was like Cas was saying Dean was enjoying what he was doing in the pit. Then Sam remembered his brother’s confession. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but Dean had admitted to Sam that he enjoyed his time in the pit after he got off the rack. But then again that was a different time, and Cas could be wrong now.

“Am I interrupting something?” Bela asked.

All the men turned to face the demon. She stood in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. A smug smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

The two hunters glared at her. “Yes,” Bobby answered.

The smile only widened on her lips.

“What do you want Bela?” the Winchester asked with a sigh.

Feminine blue eyes turned to the young man. “Thought you would like to know our next assignment,” she responded.

Briefly, Sam glanced at the other men in the room. It seems their conversation was going to have to wait. The Winchester turned his attentions back to the demon. “What is it?” he asked.

Bela moved closer to the powerful human. It was obvious Sam Winchester was a shell of his former self. “As soon as we figure out where Famine went into hiding, we are going after him,” she informed.

Gabriel had a quizzical expression on his face. Did he hear the demon right? “The Horseman is what?” he asked.

“When Famine discovered Michael and his forces were after him, he went into hiding,” she explained.

Bobby and Sam shared a look. Both thought that was cowardly of the Horseman.

Bela turned back around to head for the door. “I will come get you when we know where Famine is,” she stated before vanishing.

Sam stared at where the woman once stood. It was so typical of Bela to act like that. No wonder Dean had to fight the urge to shoot her.

Castiel cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure if he should pick up their previous conversation. It would be easier not to, but the angel knew he had to. “Sam,” he called.

Both Bobby and Gabriel knew what was coming. Sam turned back around to face the others with a guarded expression on his face. Evidently, he knew as well. “Who do you think is getting all the information for us?” Gabriel demanded an answer.

The Winchester paused; he knew the answer alright but wasn’t sure he was ready to say it out loud. Instead of answering, he turned back around and started to head out of the kitchen. Bobby looked as though he was about to yell something fierce to the young man, but Castiel put a hand on the aging man’s shoulder stopping any words from leaving Bobby’s lips. Singer looked back at the angel with a puzzled expression on his gruff face.

“Give him some time,” Cas recommended.

The way a Winchester usually dealt with emotions was alone.

Sam headed toward the Impala. The black car was his big brother’s baby. The Winchester thought back to Castiel’s words as he sat at the hood of the vehicle. The angel just had to be wrong. Dean is fine, and is going to remain fine until this is all over. He just has to be. The Apocalypse is all Sam’s fault and all the stupid choices he made, Sam wasn’t going to let his mistakes affect Dean so. The younger Winchester wasn’t sure if he could live with himself if anything were to happen to his big brother.

Sam sat on the hood of the Impala for a half hour before returning inside the house. The house was silent when the hunter walked in. He was surprised he didn’t hear Bobby berating Gabriel for a childish act the archangel pulled. The Winchester glanced around his surroundings as his hunter mode clicked on. He found everyone gathered in Bobby’s study. Gabriel, Bobby, and Castiel were standing in front of Bela with hardened expressions on their faces. The demon appeared to be bored; she was fiddling with a lock of her sandy hair. The Winchester was surprised the female demon was back so soon. Maybe the end of the war was finally near. He cleared his throat to grab everyone’s attention. All eyes felt on to Sam. Bela smirked mischievously at the attractive younger male. He raised an eyebrow. Obviously something was up.

Licking his lips, Sam asked, “What’s going on guys?”

Bobby Singer cleared his throat. He didn’t like this, and he had a bad feeling in his gut. The elder hunter hoped he’d be able to voice and convince the younger hunter that what the demon has planned is not the smartest thing. The two angels remained silent. They decided to stay out of this and just follow what the human they had developed a friendship with decide.

The female in the room cleared her throat. She was certain Sam would see things her way unlike the other idiots in the room. “We know where Famine is,” she stated, “So we should get to the last Horseman before the other side does.”

It sounds simple enough, but then why did Bobby seem so frustrated? “Ok…” Sam responded.

The elder hunter’s mouth dropped in disbelief. Was that all the Winchester was going to say? “Don’t you think it sounds too simple?” Bobby asked the man he considered a son.

Sam turned his attention to the other hunter. “What do you mean Bobby?” Sam asked.

The older man crossed his arms; he had a ‘what are you stupid’ look on his face. “We haven’t really come across any angels since you and your idjit brother made that deal,” he began to explain.

Sam nodded his head. The other man did have a point.

“This could all be a trap,” Singer added.

“Or not,” Bela countered.

Sam glanced at Bela. Truthfully, he had no idea who could be right. It could go either way really. It could be a trap, or nothing could happen. But this could be their only shot to continue to stay ahead of the angels. So the younger hunter already knew his answer. “Alright Bela,” he sided.

Bobby’s eyes glared at the Winchester. The aging man couldn’t believe what Sam was about to do. “Idjit, you are just looking to get yourself killed,” Bobby muttered underneath his breath.

A triumphant smirk formed on the demon’s lips. She knew she could always count on good old Sammy Winchester and his one-track mind. “Well we are wasting time just standing here,” she spoke.

The two angels nodded their heads. Either way this did turn out, they were all just wasting time thinking about it. Bobby refused to look at or acknowledge the other hunter standing across from him. With a sigh, Sam followed Bela out of the house. Cas and Gabriel followed the human toward the door.

Gabriel whispered to Castiel, “Family drama always calls for those brooding shoulders.”

The fallen angel rolled his eyes. Leave it to the Trickster to always be joking, even at the inappropriate times.

When the four odd and strange teammates were gone, Bobby went into the room to grab his cell phone. He called a number on his speed dial list. It rang twice before the person answered. “It’s me Bobby,” the hunter spoke into the phone, “Listen got a situation here and I really could use your help…”

* * *

Sam, Gabriel, and Castiel found themselves in an empty mall. The three men all glanced at the female demon. This is where the Horseman Famine was hiding? Bela walked ahead of the others. Her eyes scanned from left to right. Where was that old man hiding? It was deadly silent in the empty building except for the sound of the four people walking. Their footsteps clashed with the silence. The mall was fairly large and spacious so they had their work cut out for them. To cover more ground more quickly, the idea to split up came into their minds. But Bela quickly pushed the thought away. It was her responsibility to keep Sam Winchester safe. Even though highly unlikely, if they did split up, Sam could be in danger. And the demon would not allow that.

As they searched the buildings, Sam thought about Bela’s earlier words. She said that Famine was the last Horseman. But the hunter only remembered what had happened to two other Horsemen. Did that mean the angels have already gotten to War? There was only one way to find out. The Winchester walked ahead faster so he was at the same pace as the demon. She didn’t seem to notice, or rather didn’t seem to care. So the hunter cleared his throat. His actions caused Bela to glance in his direction briefly. He realized this was the best as he was going to get; as both a human and a demon, Bela Talbot is a bitch.

“Bela, what happened to War? Did the angels kill him?” Sam curiously asked.

The demon took a small breath. She really wasn’t in the mood to talk about this. But she decided to appease her charge’s curiosity. “Lucifer killed him,” she answered in a flat tone.

Sam’s eyes widened. Why would the devil kill his own Horseman? “Why?” the human questioned.

Bela resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sometimes the Winchester could be so clueless. “Because he was playing for both sides,” she replied in a clipped, angered voice.

Sam didn’t say anything else to the demon so she slightly picked up her pace to walk ahead of him. Sam was still stuck on her answer. Lucifer eliminated one of his Horsemen because he was working for both himself and Michael as well. The thought was slightly unnerving. It made Sam wonder what Satan was going to do to the Winchester brothers. Once the deal was up, what was going to happen then? Dean is so certain that Michael and Lucifer will both be dead in the end. But Sam wasn’t as certain. Will the two archangels really kill each other? Taking a deep breath, the younger Winchester cleared away his dismal thoughts. He really didn’t like where his mind was going. Besides, the human was in the middle of a hunt. He was here to find Famine, and the Winchester needed to keep his mind on the task at hand. With his resolve, Sam continued his search.

The two angels had kept a distance from the demon and the human hunter. The two winged beings needed some time to think. Gabriel knew his two older brothers all too well. Something had to be up; it just has to be. The question the archangel kept asking was which brother’s game were they trapped in? Meanwhile Cas was too wrapped up in his own thoughts. How was the angel going to help his friend Dean? Sam was adamant in his denial about his brother. Castiel had already seen the elder Winchester fall once. But how far was it going to be this time? Will anyone be able to save him? Castiel prayed that Dean will be able to make it out of this.

The four allies had covered a good amount in the time they have been searching. As the minutes rolled by, Castiel and Gabriel couldn’t shake this feeling that something was amiss. Both angels did not voice their suspicions. It could very well be nothing, and neither of the powerful beings trusted the demon Bela. She was a demon after all. The next place they searched was the mall’s food court. Bela noticed something in the McDonald’s stand. The demon jumped over the counter and walked through the door leading to the back. In the office were the Horseman Famine and a few demons as an entourage.

Bela sighed in relief. She wanted this task to be over and done with. “Come with me,” the feminine demon ordered as her eyes flashed to their true demonic black.

The other demons all glanced to their master. “Lucifer sent you,” the Horseman stated.

Bela nodded her head. “We need to get going before the angels find you,” she added.

Famine nodded his head. The group walked back out to the food court where Sam, Castiel, and Gabriel were waiting.

“Let’s get out of here,” Bela recommended.

Sam was in complete agreement with the sandy blond demon. He was getting a bad feeling in his gut.

“Wait!” Cas called.

All eyes fell on to the angel. His head was turned away from the group as his eyes studied the entrance to the food court. He still could not shake the feeling he had. It was almost as if…. That’s it; it could be the only explanation. Castiel glanced at the archangel beside him. Gabriel’s eyes were trained on the very same spot as well. It seems the angel’s suspicions were indeed correct.

Sam had been watching his friend with worry in his big eyes. “What is it Cas?” the Winchester asked.

“We are not alone here,” Castiel answered as he pulled out his angelic sword out from his hiding place inside his tan trench coat.

Gabriel did the same thing. Both Sam and Bela’s eyes darted all around them. If the angels were here, where are they hiding?

At that moment, the angels decided to finally make their appearance. They descended from all directions, trapping the others. Gabriel and Castiel immediately started fighting with a handful of angels. The two were fierce warriors, but they were not invincible. The two angels who stood at the Winchesters’ side took out seven angels in three minutes. Who knows, maybe they could get out of this alive.

Two angels towered over Bela. Her eyes flashed to her demonic black nature defiantly. She wasn’t going to cower in fear. Sure they were angels, but she was Bela Talbot. And she had a few tricks up her sleeve. They back handed her roughly causing her to go flying into a small table a couple feet away. There was already a victory smile on the angels’ lips. Bela got back on her feet and wiped away the blood that trickled down from her lips. “Sorry boys, but I’m not going down that easy,” she stated as she pulled out a typical angel’s blade.

The angels’ eyes widened. The demon took the opportune moment to strike. She killed the two angels with ease. But then more angels appeared. Bela gripped the weapon tightly and prepared for another round. This was going to be a tough fight.

The demons in charge of guarding the Horseman stood protectively in front of their charge. Seven angels circled the damned beings. The demons and the Horseman were outnumbered. Both the angels and the demons knew it. The first ones to attack were the demons, but it seemed like the winged warriors were expecting it. Famine’s entourage was easily picked apart, leaving the Horseman alone with the angels. Rather than convince the last Horseman to join them, the angels simply eliminated Famine.

Out of the four teammates, Sam was at the greatest disadvantage. He did not have the weapons to kill Heaven’s warriors. One of the angels Sam had previously seen with Zachariah delivered a powerful uppercut to the Winchester. Sam was sent flying into the glass window of the closest store.

“SAM!” both Bela and Castiel screamed when the hunter wen barreling through the glass.

But their scream fell on deaf ears; Sam was unconscious and bleeding. More angels made their appearance making this fight even more difficult if it was even possible.

Three minutes later, Sam slowly began to regain consciousness. His whole body ached and he groaned aloud. Even though his body protested, Sam got to his feet a minute later. He could see his friends losing the fight they were in. There had to be something the human could do. Sam wiped away some blood that was starting to drip into his left eye. He looked at the crimson liquid staining his hand, and he knew what to do.

Castiel avoided his brother’s blade but walked into a hard punch. His nose was dripping with blood along with his lower lip. The fight was not about winning, it was about surviving.

“Gabriel! Cas!” the hunter yelled.

Both angels turned to the human and saw the blood on his arms and hands and knew what the Winchester was about to do. They nodded their head is silent confirmation, determination burning in their eyes. It was the only way. Sam did the exact same thing before putting his hand on the blood sigil which banished all the angels there.

Bela now stared at the empty food court. Limping, Sam headed toward his demon body guard. The two of them looked worse for wear. How could they be so stupid? It was clear now that this was all a trap. Sam silently cursed himself. All of their lives could have foolishly been lost. Maybe if there was more Sam could do. He leaned his body weight on the table to prevent himself from collapsing. The blood loss was making the Winchester light headed. What if Sam would say yes to Lucifer? Could that make things better? He wasn’t too sure. The devil would be much more powerful if he wore Sam Winchester’s meat. Perhaps that wasn’t the best idea, but the human wasn’t so sure. It could all be over so fast of he just gave Satan his consent.

Sam hadn’t realized that Bela had been standing in front of him for the last minute. He blinked away his thoughts that trapped his senses.

The demon noticed how pale the Winchester was. She was disappointed with herself for falling for this now obvious trap, but it was too late to change anything. “Let’s go,” she stated.

Sam didn’t utter a word. The demon silently wondered what happened to the two angels that always strutted along. Not that she didn’t mind their missing presence. “Gabriel and Cas will meet us back at Bobby’s” Sam stated as though he could read the woman’s thoughts.

Bela was grateful for the spell Sam did. If he hadn’t, then she and the two angels would probably be dead. She grabbed his shoulder and the two of them vanished.

Both Bela and Sam limped their way into the home of the hunter Bobby Singer. The owner of the house was walking down the stairs when they appeared.

“Jesus!” Bobby muttered at the sight of the two bloody and wounded people, “What the hell happened?”

A weak and defeated smile formed on Sam’s lips. “You were right Bobby,” he stated.

This was one of those times the elder hunter wished he wasn’t right. Damn!

“Have Cas and Gabriel flown in yet?” the younger hunter asked.

Bobby shook his head. He studied the obvious wounds visible on the other hunter. “You are going to need help patching yourself up,” the elder man stated.

Sam raised an eyebrow. What was the older man getting at?

Bobby turned his head to glance at the top of the stairs. “You might want to come down here,” he yelled.

Both Bela and the Winchester glanced at top of the stairs. Two women headed down the stairs. Sam recognized them as the Harvelle women, Ellen and Jo. Both blonds had smiles on their kind faces.

“Hey Sam,” Ellen greeted.

“It’s been a while,” Jo added.


	9. Reunions

Sam stared at Ellen and Jo Harvelles’ smiling faces with wide eyes. He was surprised to see them here. A smile began to form on the Winchester’s lips; it was great to see the two women.

“I swear every time I see you, you and brother are always in some sort of trouble,” Ellen joked with a small laugh.

Sam continued to smile, but did not laugh along with the older woman. Her words sort of stung the male. It was a reminder of the crappy situation they were all stuck in. “Yeah,” he muttered dismally.

Bobby cleared his throat. He recognized the sullen look on the young man’s face. There was only one person who could cheer the younger Winchester up when he got this way, and he wasn’t here. “Where are the two idjits with wings?” Singer asked when he noticed smart mouth and sullen face were not with the bitch demon and the other male hunter. Those two in front of him were pretty banged up, and the aging man feared something happened. Damn it, he knew something wasn’t right about that last mission.

“They should be here soon. I had to use the blood spell to get rid of the angels,” Sam stated.

The older man took a deep breath. After all of this, all of them really need a much needed break.

“C’mon,” Ellen spoke with a jerk of her head, “those wounds aren’t going to bandage themselves.”

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded his head. Jo smiled at the younger man. She missed the Winchester brothers, especially Dean. Sam quickly glanced at the demon standing beside him. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she looked flustered. Well their lasted job was quite the fiasco; he figured she did have to answer for it. The younger Winchester stood up and followed the Harvelles into the kitchen. Bela walked out of the house saying that she would be back later. Bobby meanwhile headed back to his study. Big things were happening, and the experienced hunter wanted to be prepared.

Sam flinched as Ellen cleaned the cut on his forehead with antiseptic. Each wound the woman cleaned was a reminder of another screw up the Winchester got himself into. In this moment, the younger male was tempted to say yes to the fallen archangel, Lucifer. Things like what happened earlier wouldn’t occur. Everyone Sam cared about could be safe, rather than fighting for their lives. They also wouldn’t have to worry about the angels any longer. Sam wished his big brother was here. Dean is the only person to keep his brother’s head straight. Sam knew he wouldn’t think this way is big brother Dean was here.

Jo had been silently watching the Winchester’s brooding. Bobby had called her mother earlier and explained everything that has been going on, sort of. The young blond still couldn’t believe it. What in the hell were the Winchester boys thinking? Then again, Jo hasn’t been involved as deep as the Winchesters in the biblical, prophesized war. In fact, no one has. The thought of Dean gone and directly working for the devil left her saddened. There had to be a way to help the boys. It was the reason she and her mother were here. The Harvelles plan to be in this until the end. The Winchesters were like family, and family has to look out for each other.

Ellen smiled at the young man as she finished patching him up. The hunter had a lot of cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious. The older woman did have to pick glass out of a few of his wounds. The motherly part of her wanted to berate Sam for not thinking, but it was too late for that now. Not to mention it would not change anything. Besides, Ellen figured Bobby made sure to remind the Winchesters what ‘idjits’ they are.

Sam stood up and put his red and white flannel shirt back on. He was going to be sore for the next few days. Ellen and Jo were giggling at the sight of his bruise, sculpted chest. He was definitely a Winchester alright. There was a sudden flutter of wind. The three hunters turned toward the fridge. A wounded Gabriel and Castiel stood there slightly hunched over. Ellen and Jo immediately went for their shot guns. They had not yet had the pleasure of meeting the two angels that could be called friends and allies. The Harvelles’ first assumption was demon and a threat. Sam noticed this and made sure to stand in the middle of the four men and women.

“Woah it’s okay,” Sam stated as he raised his arms out to stop an upcoming unnecessary fight, “They are Cas and Gabriel. They are angels, but they are friends.”

The two females lowered their weapons. They had heard about these angels from Bobby. Gabriel and Castiel moved to sit down at the table. Though not as bad as the Winchester, the two winged warriors were pretty bloody.

“You guys alright?” Sam asked as he put some ice on his bruised ribs.

“We will be,” Cas answered.

The archangel huffed. “What do you think we are, humans?” the Trickster joked.

Both Sam and Cas glared at the archangel. “Real funny,” the Winchester muttered sarcastically.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. He thought it was.

The five of them were pulled from their moment when they heard Bobby shouting from his study. Everyone glanced at one another before rushing to the aging, male hunter. Bobby stood in the middle of his study glaring at the sandy blond in front of him. Both Bobby and Bela had matching hate filled looks for one another.

The Winchester sighed. He was tired. “Bobby, Bela,” he called.

For a moment, the two of them didn’t respond to the younger man. But finally they broke their heated glare and turned their attentions to Sam and the others in the room. There wasn’t a scratch on the female demon; she did heal pretty fast.

“Do they always do this?” Jo whispered in the Winchester’s ear.

He rolled his eyes at his answer. “You don’t want to know,” he whispered back.

Bela had pretty much started something with pretty much every male here. Jo resisted the urge to laugh. _‘Poor Sam,’_ she thought.

Once when the fight between Bobby and the demon was over, the others noticed the other strange thing in the room. There was this large black dog that was truly terrifying and huge sitting beside Bela.

“What is that?” Ellen asked as she pointed to the animal beside Bela.

The demon petted the creature. Sam had a sinking feeling in his gut he knew what it was.

“This is a Hell Hound,” Bela stated.

Sam shuddered. He had seen firsthand the carnage that beast could do when it ripped apart his brother. He couldn’t imagine staring it down like Dean did.

"How can we see it?" Bobby asked.

Human eyes were not supposed to see a Hell Hound, not unless the Hell Hound was hunting the person. Bela had a calculating look on her face. Wasn't the answer obvious.

"Since you have allied yourselves with Hell, you can see it," she explained.

Suddenly, all the lights in Bobby Singer’s home began to flicker (those that were on). The three hunters glanced at one another before turning to the more powerful being in the room. Bela had a concerned look on her face while Castiel and Gabriel both had the same thoughtful expression on their faces. All of them knew it was a sign that something, more like someone, was coming. It was supernatural 101. The question is who or what is coming? Bobby seemed concerned, and somewhat fearful. He already had angels and demons in his house, what else is next? The Hell Hound beside Bela went on guard. Sam studied Bela’s face. The demon seemed to know what was going on.

“Bela, what is it?” the Winchester asked.

The demon’s eyes fell on to the younger male hunter. Her mouth opened to answer his question, but she could not say any words before she was roughly slammed into the wall via a powerful chokehold. Everyone recognized the one responsible right away. It was Dean.

“You were supposed to protect him!” Dean yelled close to Bela’s face.

Bela’s blue eyes widened in fear. Sam stared at his fuming brother. Dried blood splatter stained the elder Winchester hands, forearms, and the rolled part of his faded green long sleeve button shirt. Sam had never seen his brother act this way. There was this deep, dark, and angry bloodlust in Dean’s emerald orbs. In fact, his eyes were so different. There was hardly any green in them. His pupils seemed to be dilated as the black danced with the white barely leaving any green visible. Even the Hell Hound didn’t attack the Winchester. Instead, it lay down and rested its head on its paws.

“It was obvious it was a trap. You never got the say so to go anyways,” Dean continued to shout.

The hand he had around Bela’s neck tightened its grip. The demon seemed to struggle with her words. Bobby stared at the eldest Winchester son with a blank expression on his face. He did not know what to do or even think. The Harvelle women were shaken by the elder Winchester’s demeanor. Sam, who always knew what his brother is capable of, has never been afraid of his older brother. Not until now. Seeing Dean this way, scared the crap out the younger male.

The elder Winchester moved his mouth so his mouth was hovering beside the demon’s ear. “Don’t make me put you back on my rack,” he threatened in a dangerous, low whisper.

Though it was difficult to do, Bela gulped and nodded her head in terror. She never wanted to be back on the rack ever again. Especially with Dean Winchester as her torturer.

With a breath, the elder Winchester released his hold on the demon’s throat and took a step back away from her. Bela unceremoniously fell to the floor, her butt breaking her fall. No one paid any mind to the now embarrassed demon. All eyes were on the male hunter who had just arrived. Dean’s attentions focused on his brother, and his emerald orbs studied his brother’s visible wounds. He walked up to Sam and grabbed both sides of his face before asking, “Are you ok Sammy?”

Sam bit his lip. He still couldn’t shake away the fear he felt toward his sibling. “I’m fine,” the younger Winchester answered, “Just some cuts and bruises.”

The two brothers stared at one another for a brief moment. Even with everything that just happened, the two boys were happy to be reunited.

After a long moment, Sam stepped away from his big brother. A thought had occurred to the younger Winchester. What was his brother doing here out of the pit? Didn’t the devil want Dean in Hell? “How are you here?” Sam asked the sandy-haired male hunter.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in the pit?” Bobby also asked.

Dean looked at both men briefly with a quick glance. His green eyes then turned to Bela. The demon looked at him straight in the eye. “I was,” he answered Bobby’s question.

The hunters inwardly shuddered. None of them wanted to experience Hell.

Answering Sam’s question, Dean spoke, “I found out where Michael is hiding his cowardly butt.”

Everyone in the room had a shocked face, everyone but Castiel. He knew how Dean found that out.

“Does Lucifer know?” Gabriel asked. This was it. He knew what would happen when his two older brothers became reunited. The archangel needed to learn to deal with the expected outcome.

Dean nodded his head. He remembered it well. It was the last time he saw the devil right after he killed Zachariah. “We are meeting him,” the elder Winchester added.

Bela swallowed. Hopefully meeting up with her boss will bode well for her. Not to mention the devil want to know everything that has been going on. Things were going to come together very soon.

Dean rubbed his hands together in front of him. “You have been taking care of my baby, right Sammy?” he asked as he thought about his beautiful black Chevy Impala.

Sam rolled his eyes. People would think his brother was talking about a child, not a car. “The car is fine. She is right in the spot you always park her when we are at Bobby’s,” the younger Winchester answered.

The older sibling sighed in relief. Nothing happened to his car, and nothing was going to. His eyes then noticed the other two blonds in the room. A charming smile appeared on Dean’s lips. “Hey Ellen, Jo,” he greeted.

The Harvelle women smiled at the Winchester. “Seems like you can’t get yourself from getting into trouble,” Ellen joked.

The smile on his lips widened into a grin. Dean responded, “What can I say, it’s a gift.”

The two female hunters laughed while Bobby and Sam smile at the other man’s words. Silently, Cas and Gabriel had been studying the green-eyed, smart mouthed hunter. Eyes can be deceiving, and the two angels had to be sure. Dean’s eyes fell onto Bela and they instantly hardened. The two of them seemed to be having a silent conversation. Everyone else in the room was wondering what was going on between the two.

Sam cleared his throat. “Uhh Dean, can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked, as he quickly glanced at the door.

The older sibling got the message and nodded his head. The two brothers walked out of the room and headed toward the Impala. On the way, the two did not say a word to each other. When they got to the car, they leaned against the passenger’s side of the vehicle. Dean unscrewed the cap of his beer and took a swig. Sam opened his mouth then closed it. How was he supposed to tell his brother what he had to say?

“Dean,” the younger male spoke.

Dean chugged most of his beer. By the tone his little brother was using, the older sibling knew he was not going to like this conversation.

Sam turned to face his brother. He needed to say what he was about to talk about; no more excuses. “Dean this isn’t right,” the younger Winchester began to explain.

The older hunter dropped his now polished off beer bottle. He shook his head and sighed. “What is?” he asked.

Sam wiped his clean face. How was he supposed to get his brother to see it through his hazel eyes? “The deal, everything,” he answered as he shrugged his shoulders.

Dean rolled his eyes. He should have known Sammy would start having doubts. Hell, Sammy has been having doubts since the beginning. “Well it’s too late now,” Dean responded.

The younger male bit his lip. He already knew that, but that wasn’t the point. Sam yelled, “Can’t you see it’s destroying you! You are even worse than when Dad died! You scare me.” The last word was spoken in a whisper.

For a moment, the two of them didn’t say a word. Sam’s hazel, puppy dog eyes were pleading. Dean’s eyes were trained on a patch of grass in front of him. “Please Dean,” Sam pleaded.

Finally the elder Winchester’s emerald orbs shifted to the man beside him. “Sammy,” he began in a weak voice. The question between the two is would the other understand. “This is the Apocalypse, the end of the world. If I come out a little more twisted and damaged to stop it, then so be it. I survived the last time, and I’ll do it again,” Dean stated.

There was no doubt in Sam’s mind that his brother was a survivor. But Dean was so broken when he got out of Hell the first time. And Sam wasn’t sure the pieces could put back together this time. Most importantly, the younger Winchester couldn’t lose his brother again. Sam knew he wouldn’t be able to survive it.

Back inside the house, everyone else remained in the study. It was obvious the angels and Bobby wanted to talk. The two Harvelle women wanted to be a part of the conversation with the men. Bela knew her orders and what she had to do. The end of this war was near, and everything was coming together. Her father, her god, was going to come out of this victorious. She was sure of it. Michael would not be able to stop his brother.

The demon cleared her throat. All eyes fell onto the sandy blond demon. “I’m going to get the Winchesters. The sooner we get to Lucifer, the sooner this war will be over,” she stated. With those words spoken, Bela turned and headed out of the room, following the Winchesters’ path. The Hell Hound followed its master. The demon was ready for it to end. She was tired of her mission. Bela Talbot was not baby-sitter, and she was tired of the company the Winchesters keep.

Once when the others were certain the demon and her Hell Hound were out of eye sight and ear shot, the hunters and the angels turned to face each other. Ellen and Jo moved so they could lean against the desk in the room. Bobby crossed his arms across his chest and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Gabriel leaned against the wall while Castiel stood rigid right where he stood. There was a common uncomfortable silence between the five of them. None of them were looking forward to the conversation they were about to have.

“It is worse than we feared,” Castiel stated.

The archangel nodded his head in agreement. Bobby’s dark eyes fell to his feet. He was in silent agreement as well. The two women were confused. They had no idea what the angel was talking about. “What do you mean?” Ellen asked.

The angel did not answer the older woman’s question. Instead he asked, “Did you notice his eyes?”

Jo had a confused and curious expression on her young face. What was Cas talking about? Then the answer came to her. They were talking about Dean.

“Not to mention the Hell Hound,” Gabriel added.

Cas nodded his head dismally. They had been right.

“Alright will one of you please explain what the hell you boys are talking about?” Ellen demanded.

Gabriel put his finger on his nose in the typical, childish ‘not it’ fashion. Both Bobby and Cas rolled their eyes at the Trickster’s antics. But the male hunter didn’t want to explain either. He didn’t want Ellen to kill him. Knowing the woman for years, Bobby knew about Ellen’s short temper she could have at times. So that left the fallen angel. He realized this when the other two men remained silent. Great; it’s not like Cas wanted to be the one to break the news either.

The trench coat wearing angel cleared his throat. He figured the hunter, Bobby Singer, had mostly explained their current situation to the two female hunters, but not everything obviously. “Dean’s time in Hell is changing him,” Castiel began to explain.

Ellen huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. Her demeanor screamed intimidation. “Well that’s obvious,” she retorted, “That boy is not usually that violent unless on a hunt.”

Jo was in complete agreement. She had never seen the elder Winchester act that way.

“It’s more than that,” Gabriel stated.

Castiel took a deep breath. He needed to stop dragging out this conversation and get to the point.

“What do you mean?” the Harvelle mother asked.

“Dean is starting to transform into a demon,” Cas explained.

It was silent for a moment as the news of the angel’s words sunk in. It couldn’t be true. No this could not happen; not to Dean. He would not let himself become the very thing he hunted.

“No!” Jo shouted in denial, “It can’t be possible.”

Ellen put a comforting hand on her daughter’s shoulder. She knew the way Jo felt about the elder Winchester. Ellen may not like it, but she couldn’t deny it.

“But it doesn’t mean he will change,” Bobby asked out loud.

The two angels nodded their heads. “That is correct,” Castiel responded.

The three hunters sighed in relief. It was good news to hear. “Well that is the best news I’ve hears all day,” Ellen stated. Jo and Bobby agreed with her. Lately, it was rare to hear good news.

“What is?” Dean asked as he, Sam, and Bela (with her Hell Hound) walked into the study.

The three hunters and the two angels glanced at one another. They didn’t want Dean to know what they were talking about. Both Winchesters looked at them with curious expressions.

“That Gabriel is finally going to lay off the sweets and the childish pranks, and get a coat like Castiel’s,” Bobby lied.

The archangel’s mouth dropped. What did that old man just say? Cas raised an eyebrow, and the Harvelle women had matching amused smiles on their faces. Sam and Dean broke out in a fit of giggles.

The elder hunter glanced at the members of the group. “That is pretty hilarious; I can picture that in my head. But if you want a quick cover, try something that might be a little more believable,” the elder Winchester commented.

Bobby raised an eyebrow. He should have remembered; don’t bullshit a bullshitter.

Bela cleared her throat. It was time to get down to business. “Dean, where is Michael?” she asked.

Gone was the amusement from Dean’s handsome face as a serious look replaced it. He turned his body and focus to the female demon. “Michael is in Pontiac, Illinois,” he stated.

Recognition hit all the men in the room. “Isn’t that where…” Sam began.

“Where I was resurrected, yeah. I guess Michael wants to finish it where it all started,” Dean finished.

Sam swallowed. He was getting another bad feeling.

“Well then, let’s get going. We don’t have much time to waste,” Bela stated.

The elder Winchester nodded his head in agreement. He too was ready for all of this to end.

The Winchesters, Bela, and the two angels turned to leave.

“We’re coming too,” Jo spoke up.

Ellen and Bobby took a step forward. They were willing to risk their lives for the sake of humanity. The Winchesters and the two angels realized this.

“Fine,” Bela responded.

The sooner they came to an agreement, the sooner they can leave. Sam and Dean looked them in the eye as a sign of agreement. The brothers knew they couldn’t stop them, and they may need the help. All of the people in the room vanished in the blink of an eye.

* * *

The group reappeared right on the outskirts of Pontiac. It was at the gas station close to where Dean woke up in that field. The hunters glanced around to study their surroundings. Dean remembered this place like it was yesterday. Nothing has changed since he was here. Bela took a few steps forward then stopped. Everyone glanced at the demon. A man was standing in front of her. The men recognized him as the devil.

“Bela,” Satan greeted.

Bela smiled at the being she declared her god. Lucifer glanced at the others. He noticed the two angels in the group. He had known the angel Castiel had fallen to remain loyal to Dean Winchester, but he was surprised to see his little brother, Gabriel, there. “Gabriel, I’m surprised to see you here,” the devil stated.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. “What can I say, these guys are real trouble makers,” he commented.

Satan smiled in response. He was glad his brother had joined him. His eyes then fell on to the eldest Winchester son. “Dean,” Lucifer called.

The hunter’s green eyes locked on to the fallen archangel. “Lucifer,” the Winchester greeted.

“I see things have cleared up since our last conversation,” Satan spoke.

Dean rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to think about his last conversation he had with the devil.

Sam was proud to say his earlier struggle was gone. Leaning on his brother’s strength, the younger Winchester pushed away his doubt. And now seeing the devil, Sam had no wish to say yes to the fallen archangel. But what was going on between the devil and Dean? Sam wondered what had happened in the pit that could have caused this.

Lucifer turned back to Bela. He had something he wished to speak privately with his trusted, loyal follower. “Come with me Bela,” he ordered in his usual voice.

Without a word, Bela followed her master so they were out of eye and ear shot from the others. The devil could have no unwanted listeners to what he was about to say. Bela didn’t say anything; she waited for Satan to start the conversation. He grabbed the sides of her face. “I have one final mission for you Bela,” he stated.

The demon swallowed and nodded her head. She would do anything for the fallen archangel.

“Now this is very important,” he spoke before handing the demon something. Bela glanced at the item and then back at the man in front of her. “If anything were to happen to me I want you to be able to finish what I started,” he continued.

A confused expression formed on Bela’s attractive face. What was Satan talking about? The devil moved his head to whisper the rest of the words in her ear. Bela’s eyes widened at the devil’s words, and gripped the item in her hands tighter.

When he finished his explanation, Lucifer leaned his head back to look straight in his demon’s eyes. “Will you?” he asked.

Bela nodded her head. “I will,” she answered.


	10. At What Cost?

The group waited impatiently for Bela and the devil to return. What was so important that the devil had to talk to her away from the others? Dean crossed his arms. Whatever it was, it probably didn’t matter. After tonight, the deal will be over, and Sammy and Dean will be free. Though if Dean was honest with himself, the deal he made was not totally unbearable. The elder Winchester had imagined it to be much, much worse. Sam had been staring at his brother the whole time they had been waiting. Could Cas and Gabriel be right? Was Dean somehow different? The younger Winchester was starting to believe so. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something different about his older sibling. After all, who would know better than Sam? Dean was his sibling, and the two of them could read each other like open books. So the younger Winchester trusted his instinct, but what was different about his big brother?

A minute later, Bela walked back over to the group, alone. The hunters and the two angels searched the area with their well-trained eyes for the fallen archangel, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did old Lucy go?” Dean asked the demon.

Bela crossed her arms in a defiant stance, an unreadable expression could be found on her face. “He will meet us there,” she answered.

Gabriel bit the inside of his cheek. He could practically sense his older brother was up to something.

“So where exactly are we meeting him?” Bobby asked.

The demon’s eyes fell onto the aging man. “The battlefield,” she replied.

Ellen and Jo shared a glance with one another. Neither of them knew exactly where the fight was going to take place. They had assumed it was going to be right here. “And where is that exactly?” Jo asked in an accusatory manner.

Bela’s eyes transfixed on the elder Winchester. “Why don’t you tell them Dean,” she suggested.

The elder Winchester stared blankly at her.

“In the field Dean was buried,” Cas answered for his friend.

Sam swallowed. He promised himself he would never go back there. Too many raw, painful emotions were tied to that place.

“Well what are we waiting for, an invitation?” Dean sarcastically commented.

Suddenly a smile broke out on Bela’s face. The hunters had a confused expression on their faces. What in the hell is she smiling about? The demon thought back to her master’s words. It was now that she finally understood. And the demon was in complete agreement with her father.

“What’s the matter with you?” Dean asked her.

The smile then vanished from her lips. It wasn’t time yet. “Nothing,” she responded. No one believed her though, but none of them decided to push the matter. None of them really wanted to know. “Shall we go?” Bela asked.

In another blink of an eye, everyone vanished once more. Not a trace of them was left behind, like they were never there.

* * *

The group reappeared in a clearing. There were no trees around, and the grass had a tint of brown to it. An old two lane road stood beside the clearing but no cars passed by. The Winchesters stared at an old wooden cross used as a grave marker barely in eye range. The last time Sam was here, he buried his brother and put that grave marker up. It was really hard to be in this field again. Castiel and Gabriel’s eyes remained glued forward. Ellen, Jo, and Bobby looked to where they were looking. A group of demons were standing there waiting.

Dean walked up to Bela. He knew the demon was hiding something. “Bela,” he called.

The demon turned her head to glance at the elder Winchester. She wasn’t sure how much he knew, but if she had to guess then she would say the hunter knew very little. Then it hit her. She turned toward the demons and began to walk towards them. “C’mon,” Bela called to the green-eyed male.

Dean stood there for a brief moment. His green eyes then locked on to the fallen archangel. There was that same twisted smile on the devil’s lips since Dean had made the deal. The hunter took a deep breath and walked beside the female demon. This was it. Sam noticed his brother with Bela. The older sibling jerked his head to the side hinting for his younger brother to join him. Sam sighed and reluctantly followed his brother. The younger Winchester noticed the demons seemed to go rigid as Dean and Bela passed by them. It must have been the hazel-eyed hunter’s imagination, or maybe Bela was a bigger deal than the Winchester thought.

“For the last time Dean, nothing,” the demon responded to the elder Winchester’s interrogation.

Dean rolled his eyes. Fine. He’d lay off for now, but he was going to find out what she was hiding. They stopped right in front of Lucifer who stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Bobby, Ellen, Jo, Cas, and Gabriel joined them a moment later.

“Angels are coming,” Castiel stated as he walked up to the Winchesters.

The devil nodded his head. “This fight is between me and Michael,” he stated.

“And that is why your brought your best minions,” Dean muttered.

Satan gave the elder Winchester a look that a parent would give to a smart mouth child. “They are back up just like my brothers that travel with you,” Lucifer responded.

Gabriel and Castiel glanced at one another. They were able to speak for themselves.

“Lucifer,” Michael greeted.

The devil and the others turned around. Michael, in Adam’s body, along with several other angels stood there ready for battle. The powerful archangel who ruled heaven glanced at each member of the allies of the Winchesters. “Well Castiel, I have known about your treachery and allegiance to the pathetic human,” Michael spoke, his last words focused on his true vessel.

“Hey!” Dean hollered. He wasn’t that bad, and he didn’t like the archangel’s tone.

Michael chose to ignore the Winchester’s outburst and focused his attentions on his little brother. “I am surprised to see you here Gabriel,” Michael commented.

The Trickster shrugged his shoulders. “What can I say, family is family,” Gabriel responded.

Michael nodded his head dismally. “You were always closer to Lucifer,” he added.

Lucifer took a step closer to his older brother. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” the devil stated.

Michael stood steadfast and strong. “But it has to be,” the powerful archangel responded.

Demons and angels cleared room for their leaders. They were all spectators to the epic, prophesized battle. Bobby, Cas, Gabriel, the Harvelles, and the Winchesters also joined the spectators. The two archangels were locked in a silent battle with their eyes. It was a test to see who would make the first move. No one had to wait long before the fight truly started. Both Michael and Lucifer pulled out their swords and charged at one another. Both of them effectively blocked each other’s blades and began to deliver powerful punches. Sam never took his eyes off the two battling archangels. It was now to see if they were going to find out if Dean’s plan was going to work. Everything was riding out on this fight occurring right in front of their very eyes.

No one dared to utter a single sound as the fight raged on. Lucifer had successfully managed to knock his brother’s sword out of his hand. A proud smile formed on Heaven’s powerful leader’s lips. “Not bad little brother,” Michael spoke before delivering a forceful kick to the devil’s gut.

Lucifer was pushed back a few feet by the blow. Satan took a deep breath and then stood up straight.

“But I was always the better fighter,” Michael added.

The two were immediately back at it. With an elbow attack, Michael knocked Lucifer’s sword out of his hand. The devil delivered a powerful swing to his brother’s face resulting in Heaven’s warrior to be knocked down to the ground. Everyone was on edge as they stared at the terrifying beings. The match was so close; it was unclear who the winner will be.

Lucifer walked closer to his fallen brother. He knew Michael was not down for the count. Meanwhile, Michael quickly weighed his options in his head. He was ready to end this fight now. Once when his brother was dead, the archangel could finish his plan and bring Heaven on Earth. He reached for the tossed angelic blade. As he gripped the handle, Lucifer stood over him. No one had noticed the weapon in the archangel’s hand. With amazing reflexes, Michael stabbed Lucifer in the chest. No one had been expecting the blow. Both Lucifer and Michael shared a brief look before Michael pulled the blade out. The devil fell to the ground dead. A bright light appeared, and Lucifer’s wings were scorched into the ground. The devil had fallen.

Michael rose to his feet. He was sad that he had to kill his brother, but it was necessary. He then turned to the last problem he had to deal with. Dean stood beside his brother and Castiel with a shocked expression on his face. The demons were too stunned to believe their master has fallen, while the angels were ready to celebrate their victory. Gabriel stared at the body of his now dead brother. His heart ached at the loss. Ellen moved closer to Bobby. What was going to happen now? Michael spun the bloody blade in his hand. Victory is his. In a blink of an eye, the archangel disappeared from where he was standing and reappeared in front of the elder Winchester. Dean instinctively leaned back. A dark smile formed on the archangel’s lips before he delivered a devastating uppercut to the human. Dean was sent flying backwards, landing on his back. He was left dazed from the attack.

The powerful archangel began to walk toward the fallen hunter. “Now that I have defeated my brother, your usefulness has expired,” Michael spoke as he walked.

Hidden in the human’s leather boot was the knife Lucifer had given to Dean. His body ached from the attack the winged warrior bestowed upon him. Dean could feel the archangel move closer to him. The knife was his best defense, and the only tool the hunter had to defeat Heaven’s most powerful angel. When Michael reached the human, the angel lifted the hunter so he was eye level. Sam was twitching to save his brother; he couldn’t watch his sibling die. But Castiel and Bela held the Winchester back. It would be suicide to try anything.

Michael’s blade was ready to strike as he stared into the hunter’s green orbs. “Goodbye Dean,” he said.

Blades tore through flesh. Dean impaled the knife he had through Michael’s neck. But at the same time, unknown to the watchful eyes, Michael’s blade went straight through the hunter’s stomach. No one had noticed since their eyes were trained on the killing blow the Winchester delivered.

“Sorry Adam,” Dean whispered as he pulled the blade out. Heaven’s leader fell to the ground dead. Dean was gasping for air. He did it.

Sam, Bobby, Castiel, Jo, Ellen, and Gabriel ran over to the eldest Winchester son. “DEAN!” Sam yelled.

The green-eyed male turned his head to the look at the others approaching him. Their eyes glanced at him and then to Michael’s dead body. Sam was sad to see his half-brother dead, but at least Adam could return to Heaven.

“You did it,” Sam uttered.

A smile broke out on Dean’s lips. He did. Gabriel and the elder Winchester stared at one another. Both of them knew what needed to be done. Dean nodded his head, and Gabriel then turned his attention to the stunned group of angels.

“Alright!” Gabriel shouted, “Back upstairs, we have to talk!” the angels nodded their heads and vanished, following the archangel’s orders. Gabriel glanced back at the Winchesters.

“Good luck,” Sam encouraged.

The Trickster gave his friend a sad smile before vanishing. Looks like Heaven has a new leader.

Suddenly Dean collapsed on to his knees. Blood was gushing from the wound Michael left the human though his hand was covering it, and more blood poured out of his mouth. Sam caught his brother before he collapsed completely, screaming Dean’s name. All eyes fell on to the Winchester brothers. No, this could not be happening! Sam stared at the bloody hand that was covering Dean’s stomach. The younger Winchester lifted the hand to assess the wound. It was a mortal injury. Tears began to well up in Sam’s hazel eyes. Dean’s face was so pale. His freckles were darkened. He coughed up more and more blood. _‘No,’_ Sam thought. He could not have his brother die in his arms again.

“Hold on Dean,” the younger sibling urged, “we will get you help.”

Dean tried to smile, but he was just too tired. “It’s okay Sammy. I don’t even feel the pain anymore,” the elder Winchester uttered in a weak voice.

Everyone knew what Dean’s words meant. He was going into shock. His body is shutting down.

Sam was not going to lose his brother again. His hazel eyes frantically searched the area. Bobby’s face was blank as he stared at the Winchesters, but his eyes revealed the pain he truly felt. Ellen had a hand covering her mouth as she tried to choke back the sobs. Jo was pale along with Cas.

The younger Winchester’s eyes fell onto the demon that was close by. “Bela!” he called.

The female demon walked up to the Winchesters. A grim expression marred her attractive face. “Sam,” she greeted dismally.

“Save him!” the younger Winchester ordered. Tears rolled down Sam’s cheeks as Dean began to slip in and out of consciousness. Bela opened her mouth to speak, but Sam cut her off, “You owe it to him. I know you can do it.”

Bela took a deep breath. “I will heal him on one condition,” she replied.

A confused expression formed on the younger Winchester’s face. What did she mean? “What?” he asked.

“If I heal him, Dean comes with me,” Bela stated.

All their mouths dropped. What in the hell was the demon planning? Sam didn’t even know how to respond. He knew Dean was slipping. “Look if you don’t agree, Dean will still die and go back to the pit,” the demon explained. Sam looked up at the sandy blond. So many emotions were easily readable in his watery eyes. He wanted his big brother to live.

Bela reached into her jacket and pulled out a metallic flask. She knelt down beside the fallen Winchester and unscrewed the cap. Cas took one whiff of the contents in the flask, and recognized the scent. “NO!” he yelled.

But the angel was too late. Bela already began to pour the liquid down Dean’s throat. Sam looked at Cas then back to the female demon with questioning eyes.

“What are you doing?” the hunter asked.

Bela’s eyes remained focused on the dying man. “Fulfilling a last request,” she answered.

_~Flashback~_

_Lucifer leaned in close to Bela’s ear. She gripped the flask her father had given her tightly in her hand. “In the flask is my blood,” he whispered in her ear, “I want you to make Dean drink this if I lose. He is my ultimate weapon; the one who will take my place.”_

_Bela couldn’t believe her ears. Dean was going to be the devil’s protégée?_

_“_ _I have already given him some, but he will need be to fed more if it’s going to work,” the devil continued to explain._

_Bela nodded her head. If Lucifer thought it was best, who was she to question it? She was willing to do what her god asks._

_~End Flashback~_

Bela made sure that Dean drank all of the contents in the flask. After swallowing all of it, Dean began convulsing. Sam held on to his brother tight. Castiel glared at the demon with hate in his ocean depths. He did not want his friend to fall into this fate. The demons Lucifer brought with him moved closer to the hunters. Once Dean stopped convulsing, his eyes fluttered shut as he slipped unconscious.

“Dean,” Sam called as shook his brother. The younger Winchester feared the worst.

“Sam,” Bela spoke as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

Sam looked up at the woman’s blue eyes. She stared at him for a moment before signaling two demons to come over. Two tall, well-built possessed men walked over to the Winchesters. The female demon then turned her attentions back to the younger sibling of the man she was now responsible for. “It’s time,” she stated.

Sam held on to his brother tighter. He did not want to lose his brother again. The two demons lifted Dean into their arms and held him like he was delicate, fragile, precious cargo. Bela got back to her feet as well, and the demons began to walk away with their new leader.

The group watched the demons walk away with the eldest Winchester son. Ellen’s eyes began to water at the loss she was feeling. She may not have known the Winchester brothers long, but they wormed their way into her heart. Those two boys were family. Tears rolled down Jo’s cheek as she began to mourn. The young blond watched the man she shared an unrequited love for vanish from her life. Bobby refused to let the tears fall. It was too hard to see Dean go. That boy was like a son to the aging man. Losing Dean was hard enough once, this time was going to be devastating. Castiel stared blankly ahead of him. Dean Winchester had changed the angel’s life in the short time they had known each other. The angel developed feelings and these feelings were too painful to feel. Sam watched the demons and his brother vanish. Tears continue to flow down his cheek. They flowed harder than before, and he didn’t try to stop them. The spot Dean owned in Sam’s heart now felt empty. It was devastating to the younger Winchester. His brother had managed to avert the Apocalypse, but at what cost?

END OF PART 1!!!


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